Suresh Raina has revealed that the 2011 World Cup semi-final win against Pakistan is the most memorable one. He described it as a must-win game considered it was being played in India.
The rivalry between India and Pakistan is considered to be the biggest. Plenty of pride is on the line and when it’s an ICC event, the stakes go through the roof. Talking about the same, Suresh Raina felt the 2011 World Cup victory against Pakistan is etched in his mind.
“I think the match against Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup is the most memorable one. India had to win the semi-final as the game was crucial for both teams. Pakistan was on top of the pool, as they played a lot of matches in Sri Lanka. Definitely, I would say 2011 (was the most memorable),” he said.
“When you’re playing against Pakistan, you make sure you give your best” – Suresh Raina
India won the game on the back of Sachin Tendulkar’s fifty and a couple of contributions from Suresh Raina and Virender Sehwag. The victory also gave them the confidence to play in the final, according to Raina.
“After that, our team got stronger and we never lost against them in the World Cup. 2011 World Cup was critical because we were playing the tournament on our home soil, and we had pressure to play one more game in the final,” Raina stated.
The enormity of the occasion is always a factor in India-Pakistan games. Staying level-headed and focusing on the game makes things easier. Raina mentioned that they managed to do so, and eventually outperformed Pakistan.
“The emotions were different but, we all managed to stay calm. When you’re playing against Pakistan, you make sure you give your best. You need to give it back to your team; you need to work hard on your intention, planning, and every other thing. We worked hard and the whole team did well,” he concluded.
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