T20 World Cup 2024: 'Immense pressure of expectations...' - Misbah-ul-Haq on India's ICC trophy drought

As anticipation builds for the much-anticipated ICC T20 World Cup 2024, set to begin in the West Indies and the USA on June 1, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq shared his views on India's struggle to win the ICC trophy.

Misbah mentioned that Team India has a powerful batting and formidable bowling attack, and they also have the ability to handle pressure, which is commendable. Despite this, there has been a trend of India faltering in crucial moments during ICC tournaments in recent years and Misbah feels it is concerning.

The former Pakistan head coach pointed out that despite their undeniable talent, the Indian cricket team has faced setbacks on the global stage because of the huge expectations of the fans, which puts a lot of pressure on the players, and they eventually bog down in crunch situations.

Quality of Indian cricket has increased significantly: Misbah-ul-Haq

Notably, the Men in Blue's unbeaten streak in last year's ODI World Cup 2023 came to an end with a heartbreaking defeat against Australia in the final in Ahmedabad. In the previous edition of the T20 World Cup, England hammered India in the semi-final, and they also lost two WTC titles in the last three years.

Team India hasn't lifted any ICC trophy since the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. However, India will be hoping to end their ICC trophy drought in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and Caribbean. 

Misbah-ul-Haq said during the Star Sports Press Room show: “It's a different Indian team now, a skilful 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 Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and the all-round abilities of Hardik Pandya, the quality of Indian cricket has increased significantly."

He added, "Their 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.”

India need to find ways to overcome this mounting pressure: Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah-ul-Haq also noted that the immense pressure that teams like Pakistan and India face due to their huge populations and high expectations often impacts their performance, particularly in crucial stages of major tournaments.

Misbah further blamed the weight of expectations for India's recent struggles to finish strongly in mega-events over the past couple of years. The legendary Pakistani batter further suggested that Team India needs to find solutions to overcome the pressure if they want to win the ICC trophy.

Misbah signed off by saying, "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.

“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,” he added.