Only win counts as India eyes team game against bitter foe Pakistan

DUBAI: Winning isn’t everything but for 11 Indian cricketers it would be the only thing on their minds when they take on an unpredictable Pakistan in the Asia Cup final here on Sunday after a high-voltage build-up that has blurred the lines between on-field sport and off-field politics.

Over the years, this contest has never lacked in adrenaline, but seldom has it arrived with such a volatile backdrop, where cricket seems inseparably knotted with off-field tension, provocative gestures, and fines slapped on both camps.

Yet, beyond the noise, the cricket itself has been compelling, headlined by Abhishek Sharma’s audacious 200-plus strike rate and Kuldeep Yadav’s 13 wickets on return. Sadly, even these feats have often been overshadowed by flash-points and feuds.

It began with India’s “No Handshake Policy” in the opening clash, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav turning away at the toss and post match.

Pakistan’s pacer Haris Rauf responded with taunts, abuses, and even an aircraft-crash gesture, igniting a storm that brought both under ICC scrutiny and 30 per cent fines. The barbs have lingered all the way to the final.

To add fuel to the fire, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to be the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Asian Cricket Council chief, has been constantly putting cryptic but provocative posts on his ‘X’ timeline.

On paper though, India is unbeaten juggernauts in the tournament, Sri Lanka alone pushing it to a Super Over in six back-to-back wins overall.

Pakistan, by contrast, stumbled and staggered to the finale. But as its head coach Mike Hesson wryly noted after beating Bangladesh: “The final is the only match that counts.”

In this fixture, pedigree counts for little.

India’s unbeaten run has been smooth, but it hasn’t been injury-free.

Hardik Pandya’s hamstring scare against Sri Lanka forced him off after a single over, while Abhishek Sharma too cramped up under the punishing Gulf heat.

The Punjab left-hander has single-handedly shouldered India’s batting load with 309 runs in six games. The gulf is telling -- Tilak Varma’s 144 is the next best.

The real question is whether India’s others can rally around their new talisman.

Suryakumar himself is due a commanding knock, Shubman Gill has flattered without finishing, and the likes of Sanju Samson and Tilak have only cashed in against Sri Lanka in inconsequential matches.

So far, it has been Abhishek laying down platforms in the Powerplay. What happens if he fails once?

India’s batting throughout the tournament in the back-10 hasn’t been convincing at all and one doesn’t know what is the plan B if there is a top-order collapse.

If India leans too heavily on Abhishek, Pakistan’s fragility is starker. Its batting, frankly, has bordered on abysmal.

Except Sahibzada Farhan, who briefly unsettled Jasprit Bumrah, there has been no batter of substance.

Saim Ayub, touted as its equivalent of Abhishek, has endured a nightmarish campaign -- four ducks, almost tallying more wickets lost than runs scored at one stage.

Sunday could once again be decided by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy’s guile.