India’s veteran fast bowler Ishant Sharma has said he feels sorry for the current Pakistan side, pointing out that the team is already under relentless pressure from its own fans and to make things worse, lacks the quality of previous generations. Speaking on the Raj Shamani podcast, Ishant recalled the days when Pakistan had world-class players. “The pressure will be high (during an India vs Pakistan match), but that was more during the time when they had great players like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Afridi… these were great players,” he said. Ishant drew a brutal comparison between the two teams, adding that India’s depth and structure give them a clear edge. “The kind of talent, exposure and infrastructure we have, they are not even close,” he remarked. The pacer also highlighted the mental strain Pakistan’s cricketers come under during India-Pakistan clashes. “Pakistan already have so much pressure on them, how will they handle more from us? If you look at the matches, their fans in the crowd are always shouting behind them from the stands. Actually sometimes I feel bad for them,” Ishant said. His comments come at a time when Pakistan narrowly beat Sri Lanka to stay alive in the Asia Cup 2025. Salman Agha’s side have already suffered two defeats to India in the tournament. In the group stage, Pakistan managed only 127/9 before India chased it down with ease. In the Super Fours, a promising start with the bat was quickly undone by India openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill.
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Despite those setbacks, Pakistan remain in contention for the final. They recently beat Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi, chasing 134 with two overs to spare. Their next fixture against Bangladesh on September 25 in Dubai will decide their fate.
