There generally is a lot of buzz leading up to an India vs Pakistan match. These encounters are only available during multi-nation tournaments now, since India has not been engaging with Pakistan in bilateral series for several years now. This used to add on the excitement, but their upcoming Asia Cup 2025 fixture has not seen the same excitement.
Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria attributes the subdued hype surrounding the upcoming India-Pakistan clash to the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, as well as the declining quality of Pakistan’s cricket team.
Speaking with IANS, Kaneria said: “There’s no doubt Indian sentiments are hurt. India didn’t play the World Championship of Legends match, and there’s still no clarity on the matter. Also, the quality of Pakistan cricket has declined, which is why there isn’t much hype around the India-Pakistan clash this time“.
Countless Indian fans have also called for a boycott against this Asia Cup match, citing the Pahalgam terror attack.
Kaneria believes there is no competition between IND and PAK
According to the report, Danish Kaneria also stated that “Pakistan is losing against smaller teams, and there are regular changes in the squad. This time, neither Babar Azam nor Rizwan is in the team… The condition of the team is such that there is no established player right now. Most of them are youngsters“.
“In the Asia Cup, Suryakumar Yadav is leading. If you look at India’s batting lineup, it goes deep. So, I don’t think there will be any competition in the match“, The former PAK spinner continued.
The Men in Blue have dominated most India-Pakistan encounters in cricket of late. Their last meeting, during the ICC Champions Trophy, was also held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in which Virat Kohli scored a 100, as India strolled to a comfortable 6-wicket victory.
