R Ashwin replies strongly to Ramiz Raja’s ‘respect’ assertion – Respect doesn’t include wins and defeats

T20 World Cup 2022: PCB chairman Ramiz Raja mentioned that India had began respecting Pakistan as a result of ends in their previous couple of matches. Ravi Ashwin mentioned that he wasn’t conscious of the assertion Raja made.

New Delhi,UPDATED: Oct 10, 2022 16:58 IST

Respect doesn’t include wins and defeats: R Ashwin on Raja’s ‘respect’ assertion. Courtesy: Reuters

By India Today Web Desk: Team India off-spinner Ravi Ashwin mentioned that respecting an opposition doesnt have something to do with victories and defeats. The 36-year-old Ashwin opened up after Ramiz Raja, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, mentioned that India had began to respect Pakistan after the ends in the previous few matches.

In the final 12 months, Pakistan have gained two out of three matches in opposition to the Men in Blue and in addition bought near beating them within the Group stage of the Asia Cup 2022. Ashwin, who is part of Indias squad for the T20 World Cup 2022, mentioned that he wasnt conscious of Raja’s assertion.

“Until you said that, I didnt know he made a statement like that. That’s one way of dealing with it,” Ashwin was quoted as saying after India’s warm-up match in opposition to Western Australia in Perth on Monday, October 10.

“But look, it’s a game of cricket. Whatever political tensions and whatever stays between the teams, the rivalry is big, it means a lot to the people from both countries. But at the end of the day, whatever you may say as a cricketer and as someone who is playing the sport, you do understand that wins and losses are part of the game, especially in this format, the margins are going to be so close,” he acknowledged.

“To respect an opposition is not something that comes with victories and defeats. It comes in the way you are made. We definitely respect that Pakistani side and so do they,” Ashwin added.

Earlier, Raja acknowledged that Pakistan had began shedding the tag of being underdogs over their previous couple of matches in opposition to India. The PCB chief was of the opinion that India as soon as used to take the sphere with the notion that Pakistan would by no means be capable to beat them.

“It is a mental match more than skill and talent. So, if you are temperamentally strong, mentally focused and not willing to give up, then any small team can defeat a bigger opposition and Pakistan have been underdogs whenever they have competed against India, but of late, they have started respecting us because they had a gut feeling that Pakistan would never be able to beat us,” Raja had mentioned.

India and Pakistan are set to lock horns within the T20 World Cup 2022 on Sunday, October 23 on the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).