India A starts as firm favourite against Pakistan A in final

COLOMBO: India A will be keen to assert its dominance in the Emerging Asia Cup tournament when it faces Pakistan A in a potentially high-voltage summit clash here on Sunday. Generally, it is tough to pick a favourite in the matches between India and Pakistan, but in this instance, the former stands out as the clear front-runner.

India will also draw confidence from the fact that it has already beaten Pakistan in the league stage. This crop of young Indian players carries a lot of flair in their approach, but beneath the flashiness bubbles a layer of stonecold determination to win from any situation. The semifinal against Bangladesh was a microcosm of that trait. India was bundled out for 211, a below-par total even on a sluggish R Premadasa Stadium pitch.

The Bangladesh openers, who were in good touch in this tournament, started briskly scoring over 6 runs an over. They raced to 94 for 1 in the 18th over, and looked poised for a smooth win. But the Indian spinners -- Nishant Sindhu and Manav Suthar -- owned the stage from thereafter, rolling over Bangladesh for 160. The captaincy of Yash Dhull, who also made a crucial 66, and the fielding too were spot on as India snatched a win that looked improbable at one stage.

Having said that, underestimating Pakistan will be naïve. It is a talented side, and many of its players have considerable international and Pakistan Super League (PSL) experience behind them.