Former Indian opener Robin Uthappa predicts India will sweep the Pakistan team in the forthcoming Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka. The high-octane continent will begin on August 30 and the Men in Blue is slated to take on the arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2 in Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
India has dominated the Pakistan team over the years barring their only loss against Men in Green in the 2021 T20 World Cup. The clash between the two heavyweights is regarded as one of the most important sporting events in the world, with many experts giving their opinions about the game between the two Asian giants.
Speaking in Jiocinema, Robin Uthappa said that Pakistan has been a really good side in recent times and believes that the Indian team is capable of beating the Men in potential all three games and asserted that India will face a huge challenge from the Pakistan team in those games.
“They (Pakistan) are a very good side. Their personnel are very skillful and very talented. Having said that, so are ours (India’s). I think it will make for two very good games and hopefully the third one as well,” he added.
“My prediction for the India-Pakistan games is always 3-0 to India. Having said that, they are not going to be easy games for the Indian squad,” Robin Uthappa said.
The six-nation tournament being held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka is based on the hybrid concept, where both countries will co-host the event as four matches will be played in Pakistan, and the remaining nine matches will be played in Sri Lanka.
It’s Always Good To Play A Team A Few Times Before You Come Up To Such A Big Match – Abhishek Nayar
Abhishek Nayar feels that these games against Pakistan help the Indian team to be better prepared against the Men in Green bowlers going into the ODI World Cup 2023 in India, as their Babar Azam-led side bowlers have got the unique ability in their bowling and reckons that it is good to have few games before the game against Pakistan in the ODI World Cup in Ahmedabad.
“I think it’s a matter of habit. The more you play a team, the better you know them, the less the pressure and I feel it works both ways. But I also feel, just for the Indians, the more you play against them, especially their fast bowlers who are very unique and very different, it just prepares you better,” he concluded.
“It prepares our bowlers to bowl against their batters. It’s always good to play a team a few times before you come up to such a big match in Ahmedabad, the World Cup game that’s happening in India in Ahmedabad,” Abhishek Nayar said.
After the completion of the Asia Cup 2023, Pakistan will take on India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 15. The match is expected to be a high-octane clash, as the buzz around the game has already been raised since the announcement ICC World Cup Schedule.