The highly anticipated 2023 Asia Cup encounter between India and Pakistan is just around the corner, set to unfold at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The outcome of the match could very well hinge on their individual performances.
Ahead of their upcoming match against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, Indian captain Rohit Sharma lavished accolades on the Men in Green. He praised Pakistan’s prowess, underlining their consistency in recent times, a trait that has catapulted them to the coveted number-one spot in the world of One Day Internationals (ODIs).
In an amazing display during their opening encounter of the Asia Cup, headed by skipper Babar Azam, Pakistan convincingly overcame Nepal, scoring a resounding victory with a mammoth 238-run difference. This win brought them one step closer to reaching the Super Four stage of the tournament.
Babar Azam, in particular, sparkled with his superb batting effort, amassing 151 runs, while Iftikhar Ahmed also played a key role by scoring his maiden ODI century. Rohit Sharma’s statements emphasize the seriousness with which the Indian team is approaching the forthcoming encounter with Pakistan. He stressed the enormous challenge of facing Pakistan in Pallekele on Saturday, September 2, conceding that it won’t be a simple task.
“Pakistan are a quality side. They have been terrific in the last few years. Be it in the T20 World Cup or in bilateral series, they have done well. There’s a reason behind them being the number-one ranked team in ODIs. There’s a lot of hard work behind it. I’m sure they have worked really hard to be in this position and plus, they have a lot of unity in the team. They are in good form, so it will be a tough challenge for us to get the job done.”
“However, we have prepared well. We have improved in certain areas. Hopefully, we will be able to apply the things we have planned in the match,” Rohit said in the pre-match press conference.
In previous encounters, Pakistan’s powerful fast bowling trio, comprising Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah, has constantly caused issues for India. Rohit Sharma, in response to this worry, underlined the significance of the Indian batsmen depending on their wealth of experience to combat this formidable competition. While appreciating the prowess of the Pakistani trio, he emphasized his team’s readiness to tackle them head-on.
“All three of them are quality bowlers. They are doing well for a few years now. See, Pakistan always had quality bowlers. Now, we have seen them a lot and learnt about their strengths, the areas they can bowl and other such things. So, we will just have to use our experience to get going. It is as simple as that,” Rohit Sharma said on facing Pakistan’s bowlers.
