Indian veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Pakistan will be a dangerous team to beat if their skipper Babar Azam and wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan find their consistency with the bat in Asia Cup 2023 and ODI World Cup 2023.
Pakistan will start as one of the favourites to lift the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup, as they have got a formidable team, to do well in the Sub Continental conditions. The Men in Green has been one of the consistent sides in the marquee events, reaching the finals of the 2022 Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.
In a video released on his YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin feels that the Pakistan team has improved a lot in terms of consistency in performing well in the big tournaments in the last five to six years and reckons that the reason behind their performance is due to the emergence of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in the world cricket.
“I used to envy looking at the Pakistan side. 5-6 years back, they used to struggle in big tournaments like Asia Cup and World Cup. Yes, of course, they have won big tournaments in the past. They have won the 1992 World Cup and delivered a consistent performance in the T20 World Cup. The main reason for the last 5-6 years’ rise can be attributed to Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.
Babar Azam is Pakistan’s highest run-getter with 679 runs in nine ODIs at an average of 84.87 in 2022. with an average of 58.4 in 50 overs format in 101 innings, and will look to contribute to the team’s success in the forthcoming events.
Mohammad Rizwan can anchor the innings and score runs at a brisk pace has made him one of the most valuable players. The Right-handed batter’s recent form for the Men in Green has been exceptional, and he played a vital role for his team in the white-ball format of the game.
It Will Take Some Beating, Pakistan Is An Exceptional Side – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin feels that if Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan can perform consistently in the middle order in Asia Cup and World Cup, then Pakistan will have a strong chance of doing well in the forthcoming marquee events and asserted that with Asia Cup being played in Sri Lanka, Pakistan players would have better experience of playing those conditions, with Lankan Premier League being concluded in recent times.
“If Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan give consistent performances with the bat in the middle-order, then Pakistan are going to be one hell of a team going into this Asia Cup and World Cup. It will take some beating. Pakistan is an exceptional side”.
“This year’s Asia Cup’s most games will be played in Sri Lanka. Who else is more equipped for Sri Lankan conditions than Pakistan? Because almost all the foreigners in the Lanka Premier League are Pakistanis,” Ravichandran Ashwin added
Pakistan has always been one of the strongest sides in World Cricket and the Men in Green have performed exceptionally well, especially in white-ball cricket. Babar Azam-led side will begin their Asia Cup 2023 campaign against Nepal on Wednesday.