Shreyas Iyer says India must embrace pressure before Afghanistan quarterfinal
India batter Shreyas Iyer says his team must accept the expectations surrounding its Asian Games quarterfinal against Afghanistan despite disrupted preparation and limited recent match practice. India’s training has been affected by torrential rain, but Iyer said the team cannot use the weather as an excuse.
Shreyas Iyer says India must embrace the pressure of expectations as the men’s cricket team prepares to face Afghanistan in the Asian Games quarterfinal in Nagoya. India’s preparation has been disrupted by torrential rain, and its only recent match practice came in a five-over contest against Japan. India won that match by two runs, underlining how quickly conditions could alter the balance of a game.
Iyer said the expectation that India should finish at the top was positive pressure. He urged the team to focus on maintaining its standards rather than becoming preoccupied with the result. Afghanistan are familiar opponents, having lost a recent T20I series against India 3-0.
Iyer nevertheless said India could not take the quarterfinal lightly. He noted that the pitch was not set to a particular standard and that adapting to conditions would be important. The rain has restricted normal training, but Iyer said players had used available opportunities for batting, warm-ups and bowling work.
He rejected the idea that the weather could be used as an excuse, saying professionals had to remain mentally prepared for changing circumstances. India’s women have already won gold in Nagoya, adding to the expectations surrounding the men’s team. Iyer said the players wanted to meet that standard but should concentrate on performing well in each match rather than thinking too far ahead.
He also praised the wider Asian Games experience, including the discipline he observed in Japan. The team spent time in Tokyo before playing Japan and had some opportunity to explore despite limited practice sessions. Iyer said every match was valuable as cricket continued to grow on the multi-sport stage and moved towards a return to the Olympics.
He added that increased competition meant India would need to maintain fitness and a strong mindset. The quarterfinal will determine whether India advances to the semi-finals. After the rain-affected build-up, Iyer said the team’s priority was to adapt and deliver when the knockout stage began.
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