When India and Pakistan begin their Asia Cup Group A campaigns on Sunday, the “biggest rivalry” in cricket will once again be in action in Dubai. This will also be the first encounter between the two sides since their match in the Men’s T20 World Cup last year in the United Arab Emirates when Pakistan defeated India with a commanding ten-wicket victory, their first in Men’s World Cups.
According to former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris, India’s ability to surpass their archrivals in the major match on August 28 would depend on breaking Pakistan’s opening partnership and pressuring their middle order to accomplish something they won’t be wanting to do.
Giving more clarity, he stated that Pakistan’s top-order is overly dependent on captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, but the Men in Blue have been playing fantastic cricket since they lost their first two group matches in the T20 World Cup last year.
Scott Styris on the sports show SPORTS18’s daily sports news show ‘SPORTS OVER THE TOP said, “They rely so heavily on this man here, Mohammad Rizwan, along with Babar Azam, because if they get them off to a start, there’s a lot of power hitting to come. So, therefore, they will look to provide the base and then Fakhar Zaman of this world with all that power and that left-handed sort of variety as well. I think coming in and maybe looking to attack the spinners, in particular, I think could work in Pakistan’s favor.”
