#AsiaCup2018: All you need to know about the Indo-Pak battle
India and Pakistan would square off in an intense battle, on Wednesday, in the Asia Cup 2018. The two sides are meeting each other after more than a year. Their last meeting was in the final of ICC Champions Trophy, where Pakistan had thrashed India. Stand-in skipper, Rohit Sharma faces a stern test against a talented Pakistan outfit. Here's out pre-match report.
Pakistan bowlers vs Indian batsmen: The prime focus
Both sides are expected to go all out and field the best possible line-up at their disposal. The Pakistani pacers versus Indian batsmen has always been the main talking point and this remains the main battle, even, in 2018. Rohit and his partner Shikhar Dhawan have been in prime form in ODIs and will be tested against an in-form Pakistani pace attack.
Pakistan know the conditions well
Interestingly, the last two bilateral series played by Pakistan in the UAE, have been clean swept by them. They defeated the West Indies 3-0, followed by a 5-0 victory over Sri Lanka. They will go into the game brimming with confidence, since UAE is second home to them. Pakistan know the conditions well and used it to perfection in their opener against Hong Kong.
India banking on Rohit's leadership
Till date, Rohit has done a superb job for India as a stand-in skipper. The Nidahas Trophy win, earlier this year, will give him a lot of confidence and desire to do well. A lot will depend on how Indian middle order performs in this game. Both, the bowling and the top order look sorted at the moment.
Players to watch out for in this epic battle
For Pakistan the onus will lie on Zaman to lay the foundation for the middle-order. Further, Hasan Ali holds key with the ball and was exceptional against Hong Kong. For India, MS Dhoni's value in the middle order is immense. The spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal will be vital in causing problems for Pakistan.
Key stats- India vs Pakistan
Kuldeep requires two more scalps to reach the 50-wicket mark in ODIs. His spin partner Chahal needs 5 wickets to reach the same tally. Babar Azam became the joint-quickest batsman (45 innings) for Pakistan to surpass 2,000 runs in ODIs. Out of 129 meeting between the two sides, Pakistan have a better record with 73 wins.
Conditions, pitch, TV listing and timing
Another hot and humid day is going to greet the two teams in Dubai. The pitch is expected to be on the slower side as seen so far and will assist spinners. One can watch the tie live on the Star Sports network in both English and Hindi commentary. The match can also be streamed live on Hotstar. It starts at 5:00 PM IST.
