Asia Cup 2022: "They are trying to recover from it" - Rashid Latif feels loss against Pakistan last year has 'caused a lot of damage' to Team India
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Rashid Latif feels Team India's 10-wicket loss against Pakistan in last year's T20 World Cup might still be playing on their minds as they prepare to face the same opposition on the same ground in the Asia Cup.
The two teams will lock horns at the Dubai International Stadium on August 28. The tournament is in T20 format, probably to help the teams prepare better for the T20 World Cup in October.
However, speaking on the YouTube channel 'Caught Behind' on Friday, Rashid Latif claimed that the Men in Blue will be focused on beating Pakistan and winning the Asia Cup rather than thinking too much about what lies ahead. He said:
"I don’t think the World Cup would be in their mind. They are taking it series by series, it’s worth noting that teams are changing with every series. Their focus will be on the Asia Cup. The loss against Pakistan caused a lot of damage to the Indian team, so they are trying to recover from it."
Latif feels the conditions in the UAE will suit Babar Azam and Co. and their win last year might also give them a slight edge. On this, he stated:
"The conditions in the UAE suit them. India will give their all in the game against Pakistan. They have dominated the clashes between both sides in the past 20 years, but Pakistan did win by 10 wickets in their last game. So a lot of planning will go into it."
The schedule for the 2022 Asia Cup is out, including the date of the much-awaited clash between India and Pakistan 👀
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If all players are available, India can be favorites for Asia Cup: Rashid Latif
Captain Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid of late have been experimenting a lot with their playing XI. They have rested quite a few of their senior players and given fringe players an opportunity to showcase their talent.
However, the 53-year-old believes that they will field as strong a side as possible against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. Barring any injuries to their main players, Latif feels the Men in Blue can win the tournament:
"You can play as many series as you want, but the match between India and Pakistan remains very important. I believe the Indian team, the board, the management will pay significant attention to the match against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. They would want to win the Asia Cup, and if all the players are available, they can be favorites."
There is a huge possibility of these arch-rivals facing each other as many as three times in this Asia Cup.