Team India will once again beat Pakistan in ICC Champions Trophy, says Sourav Ganguly

New Delhi: Soon after BCCI announced the Indian squad for upcoming Champions Trophy, fans started buzzing with the prospect of seeing Virat Kohli and Co. take on fierce rivals Pakistan on June 4. While there would hardly be any cricket fan who would not be looking forward to the enthralling encounter, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly believes that Men in Blue will continue their impressive record against neighbours Pakistan in ICC events with a victory.

"India will beat Pakistan again in Champions Trophy," said Ganguly was quoted as saying by India Today.

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"In the last 8 to 10 years there has been a massive difference in the quality between India and Pakistan and that has been one of the major reasons why India has continued to dominate Pakistan (in ICC events). I believe India will do it again in the Champions Trophy in Birmingham on the 4th of June", he added. India are yet to lose a World Cup encounter against Pakistan, with the win-loss record in ODI and T20 World Cup matches standing 11-0.

Ganguly also said that the 90s and early 2000s Pakistan team was equivalent to that of India's in terms of quality but that hasn't been the case in subsequent years.

"In early part of the 90s and even in early 2000s, it is just that India played better than Pakistan in world tournaments because there was not much difference between the two sides as the Pakistan team was a fantastic unit then with the likes of Wasim (Akram), Waqar (Younis), Inzamam (ul-Haq), Saeed Anwar, Javed Miandad and Salim Malik. But 2005 onward the Pakistan team has not been the same as it used to be. They have lost to India on quality, they have lost to India on ability and somehow India has reacted to big match pressure much better than Pakistan.

The technique and quality of Indian players has been better than Pakistan. You see Pakistan there is rare brilliance but every time they have been under pressure they have tried to fight or hit their way out of pressure which has not worked for them. But every time you see India under pressure, they are a team which would seem have soaked in the pressure. They have batted and played difficult situations well and then have dominated during the course of a cricket match. But with Pakistan, every time they have been put under pressure by India with the ball or with the bat, they have tried to hit their way out and have not been successful", explained Ganguly, one of India's most successful captains.

Speaking about the quality of the side picked by the BCCI selection committee, Dada said that the squad has what it takes to defend the title.

"I think this is the best possible side at the moment and every player selects himself. Selectors did not have to pick or scratch or push one of the players to fill the 15 member squad. They will miss KL Rahul for sure and I think KL Rahul has been a wonderful player for India for the past two years but I think this is the best possible squad that is going to England and they have all the capacity and capability to defend their title", concluded Ganguly.