When India will take on Pakistan in the much-anticipated, high-octane summit clash of the Champions Trophy on Sunday, Mehboob Hasan, Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed’s uncle, will be praying and cheering for Virat Kohli & Co to defend the coveted trophy they won in 2013.
Hasan, who is a senior clerk in Etawah Agriculture Engineering College, lives in Etawah with his family.
Sarfraz’s mother Aqeela Bano (Hasan’s sister) after marrying Shakeel Ahmad, moved to Karachi.
“I am sure Team India will win. Our players are very good and they are better than players of the other teams,” Hasan told.
“It is true that my nephew Sarfraz Ahmed is playing for Pakistan and we wish him and his team all the very best. But nation is above everything and we will be praying for victory of India. India is our nation and therefore we will pray for its win,” he added.
Team India, the defending champions, registered their place in the Champions Trophy final after registering a resounding nine-wicket win over Bangladesh in the second semi-final to set up another mouth-watering, high-octane clash with Pakistan in the finals on Sunday.
Going into the match, India would be high on confidence having comprehensively defeated their Asian neighbour by 124 runs in the group stage.
India have won four of their last five ODI matches against Pakistan, including a 124-run victory earlier in this tournament during the group stage.
However, it would not be an easy one for the Men in Blue to defend their title as they would face a charged-up and equally confident Pakistan, who surprised everyone by beating favourites England in the first semi-final at Cardiff on Wednesday.
