The cricketing world is eagerly waiting for the big clash at Asia Cup 2022 starting Saturday (27) to begin a day later when defending champions India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan. While India have dominated Pakistan in International Cricket Council events, the men in green hammered them by 10 wickets the last time they met which was at the T20 World Cup in Dubai last October.
They will play at the same venue again in their opening game in Asia Cup on Sunday (28).
Left-arm speedster Shaheen Afridi had won the match for Pakistan in the T20 World Cup by picking three top India wickets but he will be missing from action this time because of a knee injury.
India also will miss the services of their spearhead Jasprit Bumrah who has also sustained an injury.
For supporters on both sides, it will be a moment of regret but Indian cricket board chief Sourav Ganguly, a former India captain, feels one player cannot make a huge difference.
"I don't think one player can make a difference. It's teamwork. We also don't have Jasprit Bumrah,” Ganguly told India Today when asked about the absence of Afridi and whether it would help India.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India president also said that the return of all-rounder Hardik Pandya to the Indian side has been a big boost for Rohit Sharma's men. Pandya guided Gujarat Titans to title win in this year's Indian Premier League and has made a big comeback to international cricket. He has also captained India in between and is considered a major player if India are to do well in white-ball cricket.
"Absolutely... He's a huge addition to the side plus his bowling. Last year he was not fit to bowl, now he's gone back to bowling. So he is a huge addition," Ganguly said.
"No team is a favourite in the T20 format. Did anyone think of Gujarat winning the IPL. It's a different format altogether. You have so little time to recover," the Indian board president said when asked who he thought are the favourites to win the Asia Cup.
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