Pakistan know how they want to play but India are still searching: Scott Styris

Styris believes India need to find a set style of play (PC: Twitter)

The Asia Cup is just around the corner, and so is the much awaited clash between India and Pakistan, which will be played on Sunday, August 28 in Dubai. The last time when the two teams met in the game’s shortest format, Pakistan registered a comprehensive 10-wicket win.

In the build up to the marquee contest, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris believes that Pakistan have found a winning formula in the shortest format of the game, while India are still looking for it.

“They should always be concerned about this top order, but the difference is this is probably one of the least unpredictable. Does that make them the most predictable team that I can remember for Pakistan? Because I think that they've embraced a culture of how they want to play the game and I think it's worked for them, whereas India, I think, is still searching a little bit," Scott Styris told Sport18.

Styris also opined that the absence of Shaheen Afridi, who has been ruled out of the Asia Cup due to injury, can be a positive for India. Afridi was the wrecker-in-chief in Pakistan’s huge over India at the T20 World Cup last year, and with him missing the tournament, all India would need to do would be dismiss openers, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, early.

"So if you were to just look at the side, they rely so heavily on this man here, Mohammad Rizwan, along with Babar Azam, because if they get them off to a start, there's a lot of power hitting to come. So, therefore, they will look to provide the base and then Fakhar Zaman of this world with all that power, that left-handed sort of variety as well," Styris added.

India and Pakistan have previously faced each other a total of 14 times in the Asia Cup, with India winning eight games and Pakistan five.

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