India vs Pakistan clash is like Super Bowl: former all-rounder Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan all-rounder said that the India Pakistan clash in cricket is equivalent to the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl is the final championship title game of the National Football League in America which is one of the most watched tournaments across the world.

The highly-anticipated India-Pakistan match will take place in the ICC T20 World Cup, at New York's Nassau County Stadium on June 9.

In a column for ICC, Afridi said, "For those Americans discovering the tournament, they should know that Pakistan's game against India is like our Super Bowl. I used to absolutely love playing India and I believe it is the biggest rivalry in sport."

He added that he got a lot of love and respect from the Indian fans when he played in those games, stating, “It means so much to both sides. Against India, it is about handling the pressure of the occasion. There is so much talent in both teams, they just need to put it together on the day.”

Afridi believed that the big expat community from South Asia would provide great love and support for the game, adding, “People are going to love the support in the States. There is a great expat community over there that loves cricket.”

"And the Americans absolutely love their sport, whether it is American football, basketball or baseball. I believe that cricket will hit the mainstream over there in the next few years, which is very exciting for up-and-coming cricketers," he added.

He did not pick any favourites from the India-Pakistan contest and backed the Men in Green to overcome their recent indifferent form and bring their A-game out during the tournament.

"Pakistan have shown in recent ICC Men's T20 World Cups that they are capable of challenging anyone. Even though their form has been inconsistent in 2024, I believe they have all the ingredients to put it all together in the West Indies and the USA," he said.

The former all-rounder said that Pakistan’s scorer runs are a significant marker of how the side lifted their game at the crunch moments and also particularly backed Pakistan's pace attack to shine in the USA and West Indies.

Praising fast bowlers, he said, "There is so much talent in the side, particularly when you look at the bowling attack which should thrive over there.”

Afridi emphasised the importance of stability in Pakistan's cricket success, advocating for a consistent squad rather than frequent changes. He stressed the significance of class over recent form in T20 cricket dynamics, acknowledging the volatility of the game. 

He attributed Pakistan's fluctuating results partly to experimenting with young talents, suggesting a need for a settled lineup for the upcoming World Cup and advised focusing on aggressive batting in the powerplay and building momentum until the 14th over, with a strong finish being crucial.

Pakistan will open their Men's T20 World Cup campaign against co-hosts USA in Dallas on June 6.