For youngsters on both sides,ignorance is bliss

After being named Man of the Match in the opening game,19-year-old Umar Akmal was asked if he would have sweaty palms for his teams next game against India....

After being named Man of the Match in the opening game,19-year-old Umar Akmal was asked if he would have sweaty palms for his teams next game against India. He started his answer by speaking about the honour of playing against Sachin Tendulkar,someone who he grew up watching on television,before saying: But once I am in the 30-yard circle with Tendulkar at the crease,he will be just another opposition batsman.

With India and Pakistan playing after a while,ignorance seems bliss for several young players when it comes to pre-match anxiety. But senior members from both the sides are aware that one wrong turn could lead to obscurity or worse,a lifetime of shame. When I was very young,I had no fear about my performance,nor did I think that Ill be out if I fail. Old players like me or Yousuf or Misbah know they have maybe 4-5 years more,and that is pressure, Younis said.

The last big match that the two countries played was the world T20 final in 2007. Umar,along with another vital member of the Pakistan side Mohammad Aamer,was playing age-group cricket at that time.

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India,too,have a couple of youngsters who havent yet got a feel of playing on neutral venues where the stands are full of green and tri-coloured flags. Ishant Sharma and Virat Kohli have a history of matching their wits against Akmal and Aamer on the U-19 circuit. While Ishant was first to graduate to the senior level,the other three were part of the 2008 U-19 World Cup that India won.

During his match-winning stand with Shahid Afridi in the opening game,Umar wasnt a silent partner. Shahid bhai had said in the team meeting that be it senior or junior everybody should communicate on field. So when he played and missed a ball from (Gavin) Tonge,I told him that the bowler was trying to draw him into hitting a false shot. I told him that we should just wait for his 10 overs to finish, Umar said.

After Saturday,these youngsters will get a first feel of the intensity of one of crickets great rivalries. These matches are known to turn boys into men,but they can inadvertently also rob them of their fearlessness before the next skirmish.

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