IND vs PAK 2022: "It could be a problem there" - Aakash Chopra makes his predictions for 2nd Asia Cup game

Aakash Chopra reckons the grassy Dubai pitch will challenge the batters and a few wickets will fall in the powerplay overs.

India face Pakistan in a Group A fixture of the Asia Cup 2022 in Dubai on Sunday (August 28). Afghanistan trounced Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the opening game of the tournament on the same pitch on Saturday, with their seamers dismantling the Lankan top order.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra predicted that a minimum of three wickets will fall in the powerplay. He reasoned:

"At least three wickets will fall in the powerplay overs. The ball can move left-right because there is a lot of grass on this pitch, so it could be a problem there. I am not saying that it is an unplayable pitch, but when you are asked to bat first on such a green pitch, you don't know how hard you need to go."

Chopra, however, still feels that Babar Azam and Rohit Sharma will make decent contributions with the bat. The cricketer-turned-commentator said:

"I feel Babar and Rohit will score more than 60 runs. Captains leading from the front, captains leading by example. I am not expecting too many runs because whoever gets to bat first, that team will be slightly stuck, that is also the truth."

Babar and Azam are expected to open the batting for their respective sides. The two skippers will hope to see off the threat of the new ball and make match-defining contributions.

"Six or more sixes will be hit in this match" - Aakash Chopra

Only seven sixes were hit in the Afghanistan-Sri Lanka game. [P/C: Twitter]

Chopra does not expect too many maximums to be struck in the India-Pakistan game. He explained:

"Six or more sixes will be hit in this match. I am not saying 12 to 15 because it might not be a high-scoring match. There is a strong possibility that it will not be a very high-scoring match."

Chopra concluded by predicting an Indian win in Sunday's clash. The former India opener elaborated:

"I have to say that India has to win, both the heart and brain are saying that because India has prepared very well. If we see from the last World Cup, we have played 24 matches and Pakistan have played only one T20I this year. I am saying India will win."

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Pakistan thrashed India by 10 wickets in the last meeting between the two sides at the T20 World Cup 2021. The Men in Green will however miss the services of Shaheen Afridi, who was the principal architect of their win in that game, on Sunday due to a knee injury.