Last year's Champions Trophy final in London is still fresh in memory, but it's 12 years since India and Pakistan clashed in the UAE before today's biggie
Rohit Sharma and Sarfraz Ahmed
It's the rivalry that matters. When India played Hong Kong in their opening Asia Cup match at the Dubai International stadium here yesterday, it drew sparse crowds. But it will be filled to the rafters when they take on arch-rivals Pakistan at the same venue today.
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With both teams expected to qualify for the next round, this game is more for gaining a psychological edge ahead of the crucial Super Four match at the same venue on September 23. And if both keep winning their other matches, the two could well meet again in the September 28 final. But that's for the future. There is no doubt the teams will not be thinking too far ahead and, as captains usually say, they will be taking one game at a time.
One can understand the craze for India-Pakistan clashes, as they rarely face each other these days and have not played in the UAE for 12 years. That may be a bit of a disadvantage for India as barring MS Dhoni, no other player from the current team has played international cricket here.
Pak's home advantage
On the other hand, UAE is like a second home for Pakistan as they play all their international matches here. They are used to the conditions and the heat to go along with it. There's another reason why one would consider Pakistan having an edge over India. They defeated India in the Champions Trophy final a year ago at The Oval in London, the last time the two teams played each other.
But Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed does not think that past results matter much in different conditions. "We will not keep the Champions Trophy win in our minds. That was a different atmosphere (in London) and conditions. It was a year ago, so that's history.
Therefore, we will enter the ground with a renewed strategy and passion," he said. India preferred to rest Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya for the Hong Kong game and played Bhuvneshwar Kumar and debuted left-arm pace bowler Khaleel Ahmed. It is quite likely that the experienced Bumrah and Pandya are being kept fresh for the Pakistan game. On the batting front, the team management tried out Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik ahead of Manish Pandey. They could well be retained for today's game.
Long rope
On impeding changes in the line-up, skipper Rohit Sharma said: "We want to see how individuals perform, how they react to situations and conditions. We will take decisions based on that. Obviously, we want to give chances to as many guys as possible. At the same time, we want to ensure those who are in form, continue to play as many games as possible." Irrespective of the personnel the teams deploy, one thing is certain, the Indo-Pak rivalry on the field brings about a cracker of a game more often than not. And one only hopes today's clash lives up to its billing.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2018: Rusty India Made To Sweat For Win By Hong Kong Openers
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