Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Pakistan is the team to beat in the Asia Cup as the consistent outings of their premier batting duo Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan make them a promising prospect to win the tournament.
Terming both Pakistan and India as a favourite for the Asian title, Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, "If Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan consistently dish out performances with the bat, Pakistan will be one hell of a team heading into this Asia Cup and the World Cup. It will take some beating since Pakistan is an extraordinary team."
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Pakistan crushed Nepal in their tournament opener against Nepal in Multan by 238 runs on Wednesday. They will next face India in Pallekele on September 2. The Men in Blue have won the last three meetings against Pakistan in ODIs. Ashwin feels the depth in Pakistan's squad makes them serious contenders for the Asia Cup and subsequent World Cup.
"It is all down to their (Pakistan's) squad depth. Pakistan has invariably developed exceptional cricketers. Thanks to their tape-ball cricket, they have always produced an incredible series of pacers. Also, their batting has been superior during the late 90s and 2000s. But, the exposure they have got to various (T20) leagues has been the primary reason for their re-emergence in the previous five or six years," Ashwin remarked.
Further, the 36-year-old credited the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for creating a pipeline of promising young prospects who have added significant strength to the national team setup. Ashwin also mentioned that the recent Big Bash League (BBL) drafts comprised nearly 60-70 Pakistani players and that is a testament to the level of cricketing talent brewing in the country.
(With PTI inputs)
