Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan not same without Shaheen Afridi, India can win despite losing toss, says Aakash Chopra – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Team India will begin their title defence in Asia Cup 2022 with the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan in Dubai today. Emotions will be running high for both sides this time. India will be looking forward to starting off their title defence with a bang and avenging their loss during the last meeting at ICC T20 World Cup 2021. On the other hand, Pakistan will be aiming to down Team India once again and carry on with the momentum they have had over India since their last outing.

Meanwhile, former India opener Aakash Chopra believes that Pakistan’s bowling attack is not much lethal without Shaheen Afridi, who was ruled out of the Asia Cup last week after the pacer had suffered a right knee ligament injury while fielding during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle last month.

Chopra also said that Team India can beat the Babar Azam-led side even after losing the toss in Dubai.

“The pitch at Dubai has a lot of grass and help for the pacers. The absence of Shaheen Afridi has pushed back Pakistan quite significantly. They say that it’s ‘win the toss, win the match’ in Dubai but I feel that India can beat Pakistan even after losing the toss as their bowling isn’t the same without Shaheen,” Aakash Chopra Kooed.

Notably, Mohammad Hasnain has replaced Shaheen Afridi in Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the tournament.

Meanwhile, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said that what the team needs to achieve as a group is more important than the opposition.

“First game on 28th. We will try to be in present. Preparation-wise, we will not be short. We are not looking at the opposition at all. What we need to achieve as a group is more important than the opposition. We have to think of this as our just another opposition who we want to beat and do well against. It is going to be challenging no doubt. We will have to be up for it,” said Rohit in a video posted by BCCI which also featured other members of Team India in it.

Virat Kohli also said that as a player, it is like any other game for him.

“Of course the environment outside can pull you in. But it is for you to enjoy and get excited about till the time you get into the park. Then, it is usual business for you,” he added.
So far, both sides have locked horns on nine occasions in T20I matches. India has an edge overall, with wins in seven matches out of these. Pakistan has won only two.

But the last time these two met was during the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 back in October last year, in which India suffered a humiliating ten-wicket defeat. Left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi destroyed the Indian top order with two quick strikes. Contributions from then-skipper Virat Kohli (57) and Rishabh Pant (39) took India to 151/7 in their 20 overs, but knocks from Mohammed Rizwan (79*) and Pakistani skipper Babar Azam (68*) meant that Men in Blue succumbed to a shocking defeat.

India will be looking forward to putting up a big fight this time around. They have been in fantastic form as of late, having defeated England and West Indies in their respective territories in ODI and T20I series. They are also the number one side in T20Is.

Coming to Pakistan, they are the third-ranked side in ICC T20I rankings and are not to be taken lightly.

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Hasan Ali, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir, Mohammad Hasnain.