Asia Cup 2018: Virat Kohli's absence will make a difference says Imam-ul-Haq

The Indian team is a prime contender to win the Asia Cup 2018 but heading into the tournament, the major discussion has been about the absence of skipper Virat Kohli. Considering the hectic schedule he’s had and the injury scare in England, the board decided to rest Kohli for the Aisa Cup and most opponents now look at it as a huge opportunity against the Men in Blue. Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq also thinks India will be a lesser team without their captain.

Team India will take on Pakistan in their second match of the Asia Cup campaign on September 19. As expected there has been a lot of talk about the match and from the other side, all the players including skipper Sarfraz Ahmed on various occasions have highlighted the fact that though India is still a really good team they will miss the services of Kohli which will make a substantial difference.

Imam emphasized that since the wickets in the UAE are pretty similar to those in India and Pakistan, thus they expect the Indians to bat well. Their focus will be on playing aggressive cricket and maintaining a positive mindset for the challenge.

India is a very good team

“India is a very good team, of course, Virat Kohli not playing will make a difference but even without him they have a strong batting side. Dubai wickets are very similar for Pakistan-India as we are used to playing here. We just want to play an aggressive cricket with a positive mindset,” Imam was quoted as saying on ET.

India vs Pakistan matches are high-pressure games, it is not just the cricket but the expectations of the fans and from everyone back home that adds to it as well. The Pakistan opener maintained that it is like any other game and they want to go about business as usual.

“Our initial focus is on the first match which is with Hong Kong. India-Pakistan is a pressure match that everyone knows but for me, all games matter equally. It’s a cricket game and all the teams have very good potential and good youngsters coming in. It’s all about every team chipping in before the world cup it’s a good preparation wicket,” he said.

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