Dominant India look to tame Pak a third time at Asia Cup

Despite two easy wins, India must remain alert for any slip up in the final

- Somshuvra Laha

Handshakes snubbed, press conferences cancelled, threats to exit the tournament made and rescinded, players pulled up and fined for making inappropriate gestures and statements - never has an India-Pakistan match had a buildup this long and edgy as we go into Sunday's Asia Cup final in Dubai.

On the face of it, India have no reason to worry as it's a rematch after two comprehensive drubbings for Pakistan. But tournament finals find a way to be influenced by nerves, and Pakistan may be wondering if the third time would finally bring them luck.

It is in this backdrop of plots and subplots are India and Pakistan squaring up for the final, a first in the tournament's 41-year history. Pakistan would like to believe they are slowly peaking. India know they needed the reality check handed by Sri Lanka on Friday. On paper, they aren't evenly matched, but this rivalry has rarely been only about that. And Pakistan might want to claim that the two defeats to India are part of the learning curve that will lead to the win that really matters.

For that to happen, Pakistan need to bat big. They could do that only for the Powerplay in the first match before India's spinners knocked the wind out of their sails. The next game saw a marginal improvement as Pakistan raced to 91/1 at the halfway mark before choking again.