The veteran England spinner, Monty Panesar, feels that India was going to be a bit cautious while playing Pakistan. The two teams are slated to meet one last time in the 2025 Asia Cup final at the Dubai International Stadium.
The quick tournament grants rivalries an explosive nature to produce special matches. India and Pakistan would be battling for the third Sunday in a row, but this time for the title.
Panesar doesn’t go with the easy win for India in the finals. He feels nothing is to be lost for Pakistan; hence they might produce the best cricket they have ever played. It would be like the 2017 Champions Trophy final when Pakistan shocked India by crushing them with a 180-run victory.
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A team that one doesn’t want to mess with, Pakistan carries that risk. There seems to be nothing that they can lose in this. The final, therefore, would be an opportunity for them to be at their very best, whatever great cricket India has been putting up in the tournament. India must be wary of that, Panesar told ANI.
In the other two games, India had won against Pakistan quite easily; this has put them on the pedestal of favorites-whether Suryakumar Yadav and co. can carry on with that reputation.
He said Pakistan may never be as strong as they once used to be, but they really can take India on if India is not careful. Pakistan may have lost their true strength of yore, but they still have the power to beat India any day. India should do well not to grow overconfident about their own achievements and begin underestimating their opposition.
