Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team will take on Pakistan in the Asia Cup opener. And even before the first ball is bowled, former cricketers like Shane Watson have already picked the Men in Blue as the winners of the continental tourney. A lot of water has flown under the bridge since Kohli and his men were ousted from the 2021 edition.
Firstly, Kohli lost his captaincy which was followed Rohit becoming the skipper. Then the likes of Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav took over the metal in the middle. And then came the likes of Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel on the scene which meant India were playing aggressive cricket unlike how they played in 2021.
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Maybe, that is the reason, former Australia batter picked India as the favourites.
“My predicted winner is India. They’re so strong and depending on what the conditions are, they adapt easily to conditions," said Watson, speaking to ICC Review.
“That first game is going to be very special to watch because Pakistan have full belief now that they can beat this Indian team. I think, really, whoever wins that game is going to go on and win the Asia Cup."
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“[But] I’ve just got a feeling India [will win the tournament]. They’ve got so much firepower all the way through their batting order, so it’s going to be hard to be able to contain them," said Watson.
India will be looking to avenge their 10-wicket humiliation by Pakistan at the same venue in last year’s T20 World Cup, and skipper Rohit Sharma is trying to keep his players level-headed as the expectation and excitement among fans hits fever pitch.
“Everyone watches the game and it’s a high-pressure game without a doubt, but within the group we want to create a normal atmosphere," he told Star Sports.
“We don’t want to hype this game too much. It’s important to tell the players who haven’t played against Pakistan or played them just one or two times that it’s just another opposition."
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