Former England spinner Monty Panesar believes India head into their Asia Cup clash against Pakistan as clear favourites. Speaking ahead of Sunday’s high-profile match in Dubai, he praised Suryakumar Yadav’s side, saying their mix of match-winning batters and world-class bowlers gives them the edge.
“I feel India are favourites to win, as their team is stronger. Pakistan will need to push 10–20% extra to compete,” Panesar told. “The world watches India-Pakistan matches closely, and the contest should be exciting. But on paper, India is the stronger side, and Pakistan isn’t quite at its best yet.”
Political Tensions Affect Hype
This year, the build-up to the match has been subdued due to tense political relations between the two countries. The tensions escalated after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in May, which killed 26 civilians, and India’s subsequent military Operation Sindoor targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Union Sports Ministry, India and Pakistan can face each other in “international and multilateral events,” but bilateral matches between the two nations are not allowed.
Strong Starts for Both Teams
India began their Asia Cup campaign with a dominant nine-wicket victory over the UAE. Pakistan also started strongly, defeating Oman by 93 runs in Dubai on Friday.
Key Players Missing
Notably, India will be competing without senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who retired from T20 internationals last year. Pakistan, meanwhile, is missing former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who were not included in the squad for the tournament.