New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) Ahead of India’s Asia Cup clash against their arch rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup, former wicketkeeper-batter Surinder Khanna believes the Men in Blue enter the contest as the more balanced and well-rounded side which will give them an edge over the neighbours.

India and Pakistan are set to renew their iconic rivalry as they face off in a Group A clash of the ongoing Asia Cup in Dubai this Sunday. Both teams head into the high-stakes encounter with dominant wins in their campaign openers — India against UAE and Pakistan over Oman.

“Team India looks very balanced. In today’s match, India seems to be the stronger side in terms of having a well-rounded squad. We have three all-rounders and have batting till no.8 and 9. T20 is a fast-paced format where teams don’t get much time to recover,” Khanna told IANS.

Khanna further noted a shift in Pakistan’s bowling strategy over the past 15 years, observing that while the team was traditionally known for its pace attack, now relies on spinners.

“One thing I’ve observed about the Pakistan team over the past 15 years is that they used to have strong pacers, but now they have more spinners. How far this strategy will work remains to be seen. However, I feel that India holds the upper hand against Pakistan in today’s match,” he added.

The former cricketer further stressed on the importance of an all-round team performance and not underestimating their opponent. “Everyone has to contribute — the team’s batting, bowling, and fielding all need to be top class if we want to win the match,” said Khanna.

“You can’t take the opposition lightly, whether they’re considered strong or not. What’s most important is that we play to our full potential. Matches against Pakistan are always high-quality and competitive, and I believe no team should ever be taken lightly,” he concluded.

–IANS

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