India all-rounder Deepti Sharma believes her team has consistently remained ‘one step ahead’ of arch-rivals Pakistan in recent multi-team tournaments. With India set to face Pakistan in their final league match on Saturday, September 5, in Dubai, Deepti insisted that the focus remains on India’s own strengths rather than the opposition.

India have already secured their place in the semifinal with a game to spare. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the team sits at the top of Group A after recording convincing victories over Thailand and Hong Kong. India also defeated Pakistan by 64 runs in their T20 World Cup group-stage encounter in June, with Deepti Sharma playing a starring role by claiming a five-wicket haul.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Deepti Sharma said India’s previous success gives them confidence but does not necessarily provide an advantage. “Look, there is no advantage as such. The only thing is that whatever we have won against them (Pakistan), whether it’s the Asia Cup or any other matches, we are always one step ahead of them,” Deepti said.

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The experienced all-rounder also highlighted the balance within the Indian squad, pointing out that both the batting and bowling departments have contributed strongly during the tournament.

“And that is it. The whole team is performing well. If you look at the bowling unit or the batting unit, I think both things are balanced. The one who has a good day, she tries to do better and take the game further,” she added.

The India-Pakistan rivalry continues to attract enormous attention in multi-team competitions, although the results on the field have often failed to match the intensity surrounding the fixture off the field.

India will enter the clash at the Dubai International Stadium as overwhelming favourites, having already demonstrated their strength during the tournament. However, Pakistan remain in contention for a semifinal place after beginning their campaign with a victory over Thailand.

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Pakistan’s biggest concern heading into the high-profile contest remains their batting. The team has struggled for consistency with the bat over several years and will need a significant improvement to challenge India’s well-rounded bowling attack. India, meanwhile, will look to maintain their winning momentum and complete the league stage with another strong performance before turning their attention towards the semifinals.