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Aaqib Javed-Hardik Pandya (Image source- Twitter)
Former Pakistan bowler Aaqib Javed made a bold assertion when he compared the two teams before of the mega showdown between India and Pakistan in Dubai. After a four-year absence, the Asia Cup will return in August in the UAE, with India facing Pakistan in the second match of the 2022 edition at the Dubai International Stadium.
India last faced Pakistan in the T20 World Cup last year, where they lost the match by 10 wickets at the same venue. Speaking to Paktv.tv, Pakistan's World Cup-winning fast bowler stated that the difference in the batting of the two is in the middle order. He believes both sides have top-order batters with match-winning ability, but the true difference is the presence of all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
"The difference between the two teams lies in their batting. India's batting is still more experienced. If a batter like Rohit Sharma clicks, he can single-handedly win the match for India. Similarly with Fakhar Zaman. If he plays with control, he can win the match for Pakistan. But the middle-order line-up of India and Pakistan, that's the difference. Also their all-rounder, that makes a difference. Because Pakistan does not have a Hardik Pandya-like all-rounder," he said.
Hardik Pandya's recent performances
Hardik was a member of the Indian team that was defeated by Pakistan in Dubai in October. However, the India star was only named to the XI as a batter. With India missing a sixth bowling option in the face of skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan's assault, Pakistan's opening combination ran away with the game, recording a historic 10-wicket victory over the Indian Team.
Hardik was unavailable for selection for a while after that. He then made a comeback as the captain of Gujarat in the Indian T20 League 2022. In the cash-rich competition, the all-rounder was at his best as he guided the team to their maiden title in their debut season. He'd like to maintain his outstanding form in the Asia Cup as well.