Pakistan recently secured the top position in the ICC ODI rankings by defeating Afghanistan with a 3-0 victory in a three-match series held in Sri Lanka.
Ahead of the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the 2023 Asia Cup, Indian captain Rohit Sharma, during a pre-match press conference, expressed his admiration for Pakistan’s cricket team and their remarkable journey to becoming the No. 1 team in the ICC ODI rankings.
When discussing Pakistan’s achievement, Rohit praised the dedication and hard work exhibited by the Pakistani cricket team. He emphasized that reaching the pinnacle of ODI rankings is a significant milestone deserving of recognition, making Pakistan a formidable cricketing force.
“Pakistan is an exceptional team. They have consistently performed well in recent years, whether it’s in the T20 World Cup or 50-over cricket. Achieving the top ranking requires immense effort, and I’m certain the Pakistan team has worked tirelessly to attain that position. They exhibit great teamwork and are playing top-notch cricket, which presents a formidable challenge for us,” Rohit remarked.
Rohit also acknowledged the strength of Pakistan’s bowling attack and discussed India’s preparations to confront it. He mentioned that they will leverage their extensive experience facing Pakistan’s formidable pace trio.
“We may not have Shaheen, Naseem, and Rauf in our practice sessions, so we must prepare against the resources available to us. All three of them are outstanding bowlers who have consistently performed at a high level. Pakistan has always possessed quality bowlers. We’ve studied their strengths and their bowling strategies. With our years of experience, we aim to apply our knowledge effectively when facing them—it’s as straightforward as that,” he added.
The much-anticipated clash between Pakistan and India is scheduled for September 2nd in Kandy. While Babar Azam’s team has already started their Asia Cup campaign with a victory against Nepal, India will play their first match against their arch-rivals on Saturday.