On Sunday, India and Pakistan will face each other in the final for the first time in the history of the Asia Cup. India is still undefeated in the event, having also defeated Pakistan in two matches in the group and Super Four stages.
On the other hand, Pakistan also has a rare opportunity to not only avenge the last two defeats against India but also to win the Asia Cup.
Former Pakistan T20 captain Mohammad Rizwan famously said, “We either win or we learn,” but this time it is time for Pakistan to learn and then win.
According to Cricket info, if Pakistan wants to win the final, it will have to improve in every department.
According to the report, Pakistan has been playing aggressively in the power play phase in matches against India, but the problem arises after that.
In the first match, only seven runs were scored in the next five overs after the power play, while in the second match, the pace of scoring slowed down a lot in the mid-overs.
If Pakistan is giving the target while playing first, then it will have to play aggressively for the stipulated 20 overs.
The secret of India's supremacy is its opening pair, which has played a key role in winning almost every match of the event. India's top-order and middle-order batsmen did not take to the pitch in most of the matches, however, when they got the chance, India's run rate slowed down.
Another aspect that may be important for Pakistan is that the strike rate of the batsmen playing at numbers 6 to 11 on India's side is low. If this aspect is targeted, then there is a possibility of a clear advantage for Pakistan.
Shahen Shah Afridi has shown excellent performance in recent matches for Pakistan, but his form against India has been a cause for concern.
He did not take any wickets against India in the Asia Cup, but he has given away 63 runs. Shahen's performance against India has declined significantly after the 2021 World Cup, however, if Pakistan is to upset in the final, Shahen's opening over will be decisive.
Although the consecutive victories have made India the favorite's for the final, it is India who is under the most pressure.
Indian captain Surya Kumar Yadav had recently said that ‘the match against Pakistan should no longer be considered a battle of traditional rivals.’ On the other hand, Pakistan has repeatedly shown in the past that it plays better when free from pressure.
The example of the 2017 Champions Trophy is in front of us when India was beaten in a big match.
It is true that if Pakistan wins, it will become the biggest team in Asia and if it loses, it will learn that there is still room for improvement, however, in any case, this final can lay the foundation for a new beginning.
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