India and Pakistan are likely to square off in multiple ODIs over the next three months.
As a result, the Men in Blue experimented with their playing XI during the recently held ODI series against West Indies. The team management rested star batters like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the last two games and provided opportunities to Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav.
Considering the development in the Indian camp, former Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz finds the Babar Azam-led side a more stable unit than India heading into the marquee events.
“Pakistan has a much more settled and stable outfit for the Asia Cup and World Cup when compared to India. The Indians have still not been able to work out their final combination for these major events,” Nawaz told the media in Lahore on Friday (August 11).
“Captains are changing, many new players are being tried out, there are no proper combinations. I feel instead of developing the Indian side it is being destroyed,” he added.
Sarfraz Nawaz believes that the Rohit Sharma-led side will be under a lot of pressure as the World Cup will be played in their homeland.
“They are always high expectations when you play at home and it creates more pressure. India’s plus point is they have some good senior performers.”
According to Nawaz, left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi will be Pakistan’s x-factor in big matches.
“He is an extraordinary bowler and very very lethal in his first two three overs. I have rarely seen a bowler with such control over swing, seam and pace and yorkers with the new ball,” he opined.
“I am confident that Pakistan can do really well in both these events because we have a settled side and Babar Azam is leading them well. I think the selection committee has also picked a very balanced squad for the series against Afghanistan and the Asia Cup,” Nawaz, who represented Pakistan in 55 Tests, further remarked.
(With PTI Inputs)