"Team India is much better": Former cricketer Yograj Singh

CHANDIGARH: Former cricketer Yograj Singh reckons that India will win against Pakistan in their opening game of the Asia Cup 2023 as they are much a better team.

The men in Blue will take on Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in their Asia Cup 2023 opener on Saturday.

Cricketing fans from around the world wait with bated breath for the dream India-Pakistan clash. Yet another chapter to this storied rivalry is all set to be added when India takes on Pakistan at the Asia Cup on September 2.

Ahead of the match, Yograj spoke to ANI and said, "If we compare the Indian and Pakistan teams then I think that Team India is much better and it's difficult to defeat Team India. Our players have been playing professional and competitive Cricket throughout but Pakistan doesn't have such players...I don't think that anybody can defeat Team India owing to our team at this point in time."

Ahead of the much-awaited encounter, there is a positive update for the fans about the clash at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

According to weather.com at 9:09 AM IST, there are fewer chances of rain on Saturday, however, the weather will be cloudy but there is no sign of rainfall. The sky is predicted to be 64 per cent covered with clouds but there is only a 15-19 per cent forecast predicted of a drizzle.

Before the match, India captain Rohit Sharma interacted with the media on Friday where he didn’t shy away from accepting that he was playing "high-risk cricket" in the past and that he needs to bring the "right" balance to his game in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023.

Rohit stated that he must bring balance to his game and carefully assess the circumstances before taking risks because the team requires him to play extended innings.

"I have played a lot of cricket so it’s important to use that experience. Will do what the team requires from me. In the past two years, I have played a different brand of cricket - it was a high-risk cricket when it comes to batting. I need to bring the right balance to my game - when it comes to taking risks," Rohit said in a pre-match press conference.

On the eve of the clash between the Asian Giants, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam talked about the relationship and the influence Virat has had on him.

"The debate that has been going on should be left to them. I don't want to comment on it. Everybody has their point of view. There should be mutual respect. I have been taught that we should respect our seniors. I have learned a lot from him. I have said in a lot of interviews that in 2019 I talked to him and he helped me a lot. He has been helpful," Babar said in the pre-match conference.

Indian Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

Pakistan XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam Ul Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.