Asia Cup 2018: Ajit Agarkar reckons Pakistan have the upper hand in their clash against India

India and Pakistan are all set to go head to head today at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Both teams have comprehensively beaten Hong Kong by 26 runs and eight wickets respectively in their erstwhile matches of this year’s Asia Cup and have qualified for the Super 4 and hence, the upcoming contest doesn’t have much significance as far as the group phase is concerned.

However, the encounter is expected to be an intensified one for the reason that the neighbouring countries share a rivalry for many decades now. In the meantime, Ajit Agarkar, the former Indian cricketer, reckons that Sarfraz Ahmed’s men have the upper hand in the marquee clash in Dubai. He believes that the heat also may get the better of the Indian team after playing back-to-back matches.

The only problem is that India will be a lot more tired

“For the first time, I don’t think India are clear favourites. Pakistan have a better form behind them. I am not sure if Pakistan are clear favourties here, but they might have a slight edge. Their playing elevens are working a lot more better than India at the moment, and that sometimes helps.

Moreover, India are playing back-to-back games which is not going to help in this heat either. There is a case of Pakistan being a lot closer to India this time. In the Champions Trophy, India were clear favourites to win that,” Agarkar was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.

In their first match against Hong Kong, India decided to rest Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, and they are likely to return to the eleven in the upcoming encounter. Furthermore, Agarkar is confident that their inclusion is bound to make the Indian team stronger.

“Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya will come back and make the eleven a lot stronger than it looked in that first game against Hong Kong. India didn’t play particularly well against Hong Kong or the opposition batted really well. The only problem is that India will be a lot more tired after their first game playing in that heat,” he added.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India have a dismal record against Pakistan having won only seven out of their 26 matches.

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