Misbah-ul-Haq praises India’s evolution: Their ability to handle pressure has improved… difficult task to break it

“It’s a different Indian team now, a skillful team with a very powerful bowling lineup. The batting has always been strong, but the quality of their fast bowling has really elevated their game. With bowlers like Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, and the all-round abilities of Hardik Pandya, the quality of Indian cricket has increased significantly,” Misbah said on the special Star Sports Press Room to preview the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.

India will take on Pakistan in a highly-anticipated group stage match on June 9 at the upcoming T20 World Cup at New York’s Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.

Indian cricket team’s ability to handle pressure

Misbah also heaped praise on the Indian cricket team for their ability to handle pressure.

“India’s ability to handle pressure has improved too. Playing so much cricket gives them exposure and boosts their confidence. To break this, opposing teams need to make a lot of effort, which is a difficult task. Look at Australia, for instance. They overcome most of these hurdles with their strong mental attitude. As big matches and pressure situations arise, they manage to stay composed. In contrast, teams like Pakistan, India, and other Asian teams face immense pressure from their huge populations and high expectations. This pressure can affect performance significantly. It’s something India has struggled with in the last few mega events, where they haven’t been able to finish strong,” Misbah said.

Misbah then added: “For Australia, this isn’t as big of an issue, but for Pakistan and India, playing under such intense pressure is a major challenge. It’s interesting to see how these teams will manage it in the future. India, especially, will need to find ways to overcome this mounting pressure if they want to succeed in upcoming events.”