Ganguly finds more thrill in Manchester derby than India vs Pakistan match

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes that the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry has lost its spark in recent years. Speaking at an event in Kolkata on Monday, following India's dominant win in the Asia Cup group-stage clash, Ganguly said Pakistan simply don't match up to the current Indian side.

In the much-anticipated encounter on Sunday, September 14, Pakistan were completely outplayed. They managed to score just 127 runs before India chased down the target in only 15.5 overs, making the game feel one-sided and underwhelming.

Reflecting on the match, Ganguly admitted that he lost interest early on and switched to watching the Premier League instead, where Manchester United were playing Manchester City.

"I'm honestly not surprised by what happened. I stopped watching after the first 15 overs and turned to the Manchester United vs Man City game instead," Ganguly remarked.

The former skipper, who has been part of several iconic India-Pakistan matches, said he now prefers watching India play other competitive teams like Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, or even Afghanistan, rather than Pakistan. He pointed out that the rivalry has lost its edge over the past five years due to Pakistan's declining performance.

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"With all due respect, Pakistan are no match for India anymore. I say that because I've seen the kind of teams they used to have, but now there's a clear lack of quality," he said.

"The hype around India vs Pakistan has been consistently disappointing for the past five years. Every time, it ends up being one-sided. I'd much rather watch India face other strong teams," Ganguly added.

In a broader comment on global issues, Ganguly emphasised the need to combat terrorism worldwide, not just in the context of India and Pakistan.

"Terrorism must end -- not just in our region, but across the globe. That's the bigger issue. Sports should continue, but it's crucial that terror stops everywhere," he concluded.

India vs Pakistan at the Asia Cup was played in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. India captain Suryakumar Yadav and the team refused to shake hands with the Pakistan side, which infuriated the opposition team.

Pakistan have threatened to boycott the tournament in case match referee Andy Pycroft (who officiated the IND vs PAK game) is not removed from the remainder of the competition.