NEW DELHI: As India's juggernaut continues to roll on in the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup, the most pertinent question on the minds of the opponents, fans and experts alike is that 'what is the way to stop this Indian team?'
After India registered a thumping 243-run victory against South Africa on Sunday for their eighth win on the trot, the hosts seem unstoppable in the tournament.
During a discussion on 'A Sports', Pakistan's bowling legend Wasim Akram said that every team in the World Cup must be thinking the same question at the moment.
"I think every team in the World Cup must be exactly thinking the same thing right now, including New Zealand, South Africa, and Pakistan, whoever will play them in the semi-finals. They are looking very good," Akram said candidly.
Akram then acknowledged the planning which underwent to make this Indian team in the run-up to the mega event.
"Yeh sirf is World Cup se nahi huwa. Yeh planning saal-dher saal se ho rahi hein unki. Main player, jab choti teams aati hai…jab Australia ki jo series huwi thi Asia Cup ke fauran baad, usme main player nahi kheley the. Suryakumar, jo inko rakhna tha squad me unko khilaya. Yeh planning se hota hain. Aise hi kuch nahi hota [This didn't happen only in the World Cup. The planning is going on for 1-1.5 years. When the Australia series happened just after the Asia Cup, they didn't field main players. They played Suryakumar Yadav, who was going to be in the final squad. This happens with planning. It can't be just like that]," Akram added.
Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq explained how other teams have to work on mental aspects to face India.
"Sabse pahle toh mentally aapne battle se nikalna hai. Unhone pahle hi itni achi cricket khelke itna pressure har team ko kar diya hain ki..more than 50% battle toh woh pahle hi jeetey hote hain. Sabse pahle kisi bhi team to unhe tough time dena hai toh pahle mentally isse nikaley ki hum achcha khelengey aur jeetengey [They have played so much good cricket that opponents are already under pressure. They have won 50% of the battle before the start. Opponents have to mentally well prepared and play India with the mindset that they will play good cricket and win the game]," Misbah said.
1/10:Virat Kohli equals Sachin Tendulkar milestone, India crush South Africa
<p>Read more on TOI Sports<br /></p>
2/10:HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KING KOHLI
<p>Virat Kohli marked his 35th birthday with his second century of the World Cup and Ravindra Jadeja claimed five wickets as India thumped South Africa by 243 runs at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.<br /></p>Getty Images
3/10:THUMPING WIN
<p>South Africa's chase of 327 began shakily as they lost half their side cheaply for 40 runs inside 14 overs as Jadeja (5-33) and Mohammed Shami (2-18) wreaked havoc before the Proteas fell to only their second defeat, dismissed for 83 in 27.1 overs.<br /></p>PTI
4/10:SUPER JADEJA
<p>Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers, shattering the stumps of three batsmen.</p>Getty Images
5/10:BIG CONTRIBUTIONS
<p>Mohammed Siraj (1-11) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-7) also played their part in the big win.<br /></p>IANS
6/10:THE RUN MACHINE
<p>Virat Kohli's unbeaten 101 contained 10 fours and left him level with Indian great Sachin Tendulkar on 49 one-day international hundreds as he continued his superb form by taking his tally past 500 runs in the tournament.</p>IANS
7/10:SOLID STAND
<p>Virat Kohli dropped anchor in a solid third-wicket stand of 134 with Shreyas Iyer, who hit 77 with seven fours and two sixes, before making his ton in the 49th over as India finished with 326-5 on a slow Kolkata wicket with late hitting by Jadeja (29 not out).</p>ANI
8/10:SEMIFINALISTS
<p>Both teams have qualified for the semi-finals and Sunday's game was touted as a dress rehearsal for the title clash later this month.</p>PTI
9/10:UNBEATEN TEAM INDIA
<p>This was India's eighth successive victory in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023.<br /></p>PTI
10/10:BLAZING START
<p>India elected to bat first after winning the toss and took advantage of some wayward pace bowling by Marco Jansen to make a blazing start but skipper Rohit Sharma fell for a 24-ball 40 as he looked to launch first-change Kagiso Rabada over mid-off.<br /></p>PTIMisbah and Shoaib Malik, another former Pakistan skipper, agreed that at this stage only Australia looked capable of giving India a tough time.
"I think only Australia will give a tough time to India," Malik said.
Misbah further added that the pressure at knock-out stages will give opponents an outside chance against this Indian side.
"Jo bhi ho jaaye, ek cheez toh confirm hain. Yeh group stage hain, and when they go into the knock-out stages, jitni team achcha khel rahi hoti hain, favourite hoti hain, utna hi pressure aap pe jyada aata hain. Once koi bhi team aapko under pressure ek-do baar karengi, then they have a lot to lose [This is the group stage, and when the knock-out stages starts, the team playing well and is favourite, comes under a lot of pressure. When opponents start putting them under pressure, then they have a lot to lose]," Misbah said.
To which, Malik countered by saying, "Pressure ko sabse jyada achha deal bhi yahi karte hain."
Misbah again agreed to Malik but still added that it will give an outside chance to other teams.
"They deal pressure well, but it gave an outside chance to the other teams also," Misbah concluded.
