Rohit Sharma gives his verdict on the upcoming clash against Pakistan

The Asia Cup is just a week away, and the fans are eagerly waiting for the high-profile clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on matchday two at the Dubai International Stadium on the 28th of August. With the match billed to serve as another installment in this intense rivalry, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has weighed in on the subject by labeling it a “high-pressure game”.

Incidentally, the neighbours locked horns in their opening fixture of the T20 World Cup last year at the same venue. The Men in Green, then, dismantled the Indian side by ten wickets to claim their first-ever victory against their nemesis in a World Cup tie, with skipper Babar Azam leading from the front in their historic win.

India will be adamant about making amends from their previous outing under the reins of new skipper Rohit Sharma, who took over from Virat Kohli post the disappointment of last year’s ICC tournament. Rohit admitted that the game will be intense and players will be under pressure, but he and head coach Rahul Dravid are trying to instill calmness in the dressing room, treating the game like every other match.

“Everyone watches the game, especially India vs Pakistan. Without a doubt, it is a high-pressure game, but within the group, we want to create a normal atmosphere and don’t want to hype this game within ourselves. For us, it is just a game of cricket. It is important for me and Rahul Bhai to tell the players that it’s just another opposition,” he said to Star Sports ahead of the big match.

Both India and Pakistan are engaging in bilateral ODI series in the build-up to the highly anticipated clash

India have got an enviable record against their eternal rivals in the competition, winning eight matches out of their 14. The Men in Blue have won five out of their previous six outings, with their last defeat against Pakistan coming in 2014 at Mirpur.

The Indian team, in the absence of Rohit and other senior players, are engrossed in a three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, Babar Azam is leading his side in a series against minnows Netherlands, heading into the titanic battle on the 28th, later this month.