• India and Pakistan meet in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup opener at the MCG on Sunday.
• Rishabh Pant is eager for another chance to face his country’s arch-rivals.
• The 25-year-old says nothing beats facing Pakistan on the big stage.

Rishabh Pant, India’s top batsman, has stated that nothing beats facing Pakistan on the big stage, and the left-hander is eager for another chance when the arch-rivals meet in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Sunday.

The next chapter in India’s ongoing rivalry with Pakistan will be written at the MCG on Sunday, when both teams begin their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign with a key match-up in front of a crowd likely to be close to 100,000.

While Pant appears to be competing with veteran Dinesh Karthik for the wicketkeeping position in India’s XI, the 25-year-old might yet play as a specialist hitter if selectors decide to reinforce their middle-order for the encounter.

Pant had the experience of facing Pakistan in a T20 World Cup when the two teams met last year in Dubai, and one of India’s many young talents stated nothing compares to the experience of hitting the field against their biggest opponent.

“It’s always special playing against Pakistan because there is a special hype around that match as always,” Pant said.

“There are so much emotions involved, not only for us, but the fans and everyone.

“It’s a different kind of feeling, a different kind of ambience when you go on to the field and when you take on the field, you see people cheering here and there, it’s a different atmosphere and when we were singing our national anthem, I actually get goosebumps.

Last year’s T20 World Cup match was as one-sided as cricket gets, with Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam comfortably chasing down India’s 151/7 without loss to hand Pakistan a resounding 10-wicket victory.

While the game was swiftly erased from the minds of many India players and spectators, Pant has good memories of it thanks to his 53-run partnership with then-captain Virat Kohli and quickfire knock of 39.

“I fondly remember that I smacked Hasan Ali for two sixes in the same over,” Pant recalled.

“We were just trying to get the run rate up because we lost early wickets and we staged a partnership – me and Virat.

Pant is hoping for the opportunity to revive his batting partnership with Kohli at the MCG this Sunday.

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