With India Miles Ahead Of Pakistan, Contest Lacks On-Ground Hype

A spoilt-for-choice Indian squad will be the favourite by a country mile against arch-rivals Pakistan here on Sunday in their Asia Cup encounter which is strangely devoid of any hype despite border tensions that have only risen in the past few months.

- Press Trust of India

There is no dearth of context in the contest with a T20 World Cup set to be played in India in four months' time. But for the first time in many years, a cricket match between India and Pakistan, that too scheduled on a Sunday, lacks the kind of high-pitched narrative that always comes with the territory.

There are batters like Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, a pacer like Jasprit Bumrah, spinners of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy's calibre in the Indian playing XI. The Indians look way more menacing on paper compared to Pakistan, who are trying to find their feet under new skipper Salman Ali Agha.