DUBAI: An India-Pakistan cricket clash is never ordinary. But Sunday’s Asia Cup showdown carries even more weight, coming just months after the two nations were locked in a four-day military conflict in May.
Bilateral cricket between the rivals has long been frozen, leaving fans to see the two giants meet only in multi-team tournaments. Political ties have sunk further since the clashes, and several former Indian cricketers even pushed for a boycott before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) gave the green light.
Now, with the boycott calls behind them, both sides are bracing for a fiery contest. India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan’s skipper Salman Agha have made it clear that neither team will tone down their aggression.
India, the reigning T20 world champions, enter as strong favourites to defend their Asia Cup crown. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said politics won’t distract the squad. “Once the BCCI said they are aligned with the government, we are here to play. I think players are focused only on cricket,” he told reporters on Friday.
Pakistan coach Mike Hesson, however, knows emotions will be running high. “Being part of a highly charged event is going to be exciting,” the New Zealander said. “But for us, it’s about staying focused. India are confident, and rightfully so, but our goal is to keep improving and not get ahead of ourselves.”
India look like the tournament’s powerhouse, strengthened by the return of pace ace Jasprit Bumrah and opener Shubman Gill. They showed no mercy against the UAE on Thursday, skittling them for 57 runs before chasing the target in just 27 balls.
Pakistan also started strong with a win over Oman, though their batting has shown cracks. With former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan missing, Salman Agha is leaning on recent success. The team lifted a T20 tri-series trophy in the UAE against Afghanistan and Oman before heading into the Asia Cup.
“We’ve been playing good cricket in the last two-three months,” Salman said Friday. “If we execute our plans long enough, we can beat any team.”
