Asia Cup, India vs Pakistan: Match preview
India and Pakistan will, once again, gear up for an enticing battle in the ongoing Asia Cup 2018. The two sides had faced each other, last Wednesday, in a Pool A encounter. This time, it's a crucial Super Four battle. India have won all three matches so far, but will be wary about an unpredictable Pakistani side. Here is the pre-match report.
Pakistan batting line-up needs to click this time
Pakistan suffered a batting collapse in their previous encounter against India right from the start and they never got going. Players were blamed for playing outside their roles. In their next match against Afghanistan, the Pakistani batsmen performed better and three players scored fifties. This time, once again, the focus will be on their batting as Indian bowlers will come hard.
All-round India have been terrific so far
Against Pakistan and then versus Bangladesh, the Indian side led by Rohit Sharma gave a solid account of themselves in each department. A big shout out goes to the pace bowlers for getting those early breakthroughs. India are expected to field three premier spinners, with Kedar Jadhav adding voice as the fourth. The openers have batted superbly and that bodes impetus.
Everything to play for in this tie
Both teams know that a win here could assure them a place in the final. A loss today means they have to win their final Super Four match. Pakistan will face a struggling Bangladeshi unit, whereas, India will come up against Afghanistan. There is a possibility that these two sides could meet, once more, in the final. There's everything to play for.
Key players to watch out for
For India, skipper Rohit has been terrific in the last two matches and his contribution upfront could unsettle Pakistani bowlers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar forced the Pakistan batsmen to play rash shots and could once again build the pressure. In-form Shoaib Malik is key for Pakistan's fortunes in the middle order. Also opening batsman Imam-ul-Haq's watchful eyes could be crucial in giving the side breathing space.
Conditions, TV listing and timing
The dry heat and humidity will challenge players. Spin has played a crucial role throughout the tourney and this will continue even today. The match will start at the usual 5:00 PM IST slot. One can watch the match live on the Star Sports network in both English and Hindi commentary. The match can be streamed live on Hotstar.
