As the Asia Cup final heats up in Dubai, former Indian leg-spinner Amit Mishra is betting big on Suryakumar Yadav’s team to crush Pakistan on Sunday night. India, the defending T20 World Cup champions and the only unbeaten side in the tournament, heads into the clash with a clear edge over their rivals—both on the field and off.
This marks the third India vs Pakistan showdown in the Asia Cup. The Men in Blue already dominated Group A with a seven-wicket win and followed it up with a six-wicket victory in the Super Fours. Mishra doesn’t mince words about the gap. “India will win,” he told exclusively. “We’re way ahead of Pakistan in cricket and in our mindset. They can’t even match our thinking. I won’t dwell on their trash talk—who’s delivering for them? Check their rankings. Can they handle our bowling or batting?”
Mishra points out how India’s young guns are stepping up without stars like Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. Players like Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, and Hardik Pandya aren’t always getting big chances, yet the team keeps winning. “Even without our seniors, our youngsters are getting the job done. In cricket and strategy, we’re miles ahead. Pakistan isn’t even close.”
But Mishra isn’t overlooking India’s weak spot: fielding. With dew making the ball slippery in night games, India has dropped several catches lately, hurting their overall performance. He warns that in T20 cricket, one missed chance can flip the game in just a few overs. “We’ve got to sharpen up there,” he says. “Missing three or four catches per match is scary. If a set batter gets a life and smashes 50 or 60 runs, it could cost us.”
To tackle the dew factor, Mishra urges the team to practice hard. The ball gets heavy and tough to grip, so fielders need sessions with wet balls under lights. “It’s the fielding coach’s job to sort this out,” he adds. “No excuses for pros playing for India. If drops happen often, fix it through targeted drills. That way, nothing catches us off guard.”
Mishra also weighs in on India’s recent batting experiments. Before their thrilling Super Over win against Sri Lanka in the Super Fours, the team shuffled the order to give more players match practice. He sees the upside. “It was smart—openers were finishing games early, so others needed time in the middle. Batting practice matters a lot.”
For the final, though, he expects a return to the tried-and-true lineup. “The main order will take the field,” Mishra predicts. “They’ll tweak for left-right combos too. Coaches should nail that down.” With India’s depth and drive, Mishra’s confidence couldn’t be higher as the high-stakes India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry reaches its peak.
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