Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are all set to take on each other in the upcoming Asia Cup 2022. The defending champions and record-time winners are led by veteran opener Rohit Sharma while premier batter Babar Azam will lead the new-look Pakistan side at the Asia Cup 2022. India will lock horns with Pakistan in its tournament opener at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
Speaking ahead of the blockbuster meeting between India and Pakistan, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra spoke at length about the ‘set formula ‘ of the Green Army at the upcoming continental cup. Even though Pakistan have some of the finest batters in the shortest format, Chopra feels that the batting lineup of the Men in Green only revolves around Babar. The Pakistan captain will enter the showpiece event as the No.1 batter in white-ball cricket.
“They (Pakistan’s strategies) are defined by their batting revolving around Babar. That, in my opinion, is a good thing and a bad thing, because if one guy has become the alpha male and everyone else plays around him, then till the time it works it is fine, but assume if Babar gets out, then what will you do. Then the planning will look slightly iffy. Fakhar Zaman hits, Mohammad Rizwan tries to hit for sure. Everyone after that will also keep trying to hit, whether it is Asif Ali or anyone else, but their batting revolves around him (Babar) only,” Chopra said in a video shared by the ex-India opener on YouTube.
Pakistan will meet India for the first time since the 2021 edition of the ICC World T20. Babar-led Pakistan had scripted history by defeating India for the first time in a World Cup match last year. “Secondly, while India is trying to play a different brand of cricket, Pakistan is saying that they have a set formula. There is not even a chatter to change it. Leave aside the chatter, they have played only one T20I this year,” Chopra added.
