New Delhi: No matter how much hype is created, India are just too strong for Pakistan, which recent results prove, believes Sourav Ganguly.
India routed Pakistan by seven wickets in the Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday for their 11th win in 14 matches.
Asked to comment on India’s one-sided victory, Ganguly said he began to watch the action on TV but switched over to football once he realised what the outcome of the match would be.
“Pakistan are no match. I say that with respect, it’s just because I’ve seen their team was. It’s the lack of quality in the side,” the former India skipper said at an event in Kolkata on Monday.
“This team has played without (Virat) Kohli and Rohit (Sharma), who were the two stalwarts of Indian cricket for such a long period of time.”
‘Chalk and cheese’
Ganguly lamented the demise while Comparing this current Pakistan side with the one he faced in his playing days in the 1990s and early 200s.
“I am actually not surprised by what I saw. I actually stopped watching after the first 15 overs and started watching Manchester United and Man City (in English Premier League),” he said.
“There is no competition between India and Pakistan any more. I always say, we think of Pakistan as Waqar Younises, Wasim Akrams, the Saeed Anwars and Javed Miandads. But that’s not the case with this modern-day Pakistan it’s now like chalk and cheese.
“There is no competition. I would rather watch India play Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka or even Afghanistan.
“I don’t think India and Pakistan are a contest any more. We keep hyping it and for the last five years every hype has been shattered. It’s been one-way traffic.”
Speaking of India’s potency, Ganguly said India are far ahead if any of the Asian teams and would easily beat the other teams in the competition most of the time.
“India are too far ahead in cricket for Pakistan and any of these Asia Cup teams. There will be one or two days when they get beaten, but the majority of days they (India) would be the best team,” the former BCCI president said.
Ganguly didn’t comment on India’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistan cricketers after the match.