India all-rounder Hardik Pandya opened up on the much-anticipated Group A clash of the Asia Cup 2023 against Pakistan in Pallekele on Saturday, September 2. He also admitted that matches between the two sides showed the character of a cricketer where India hold the record for the most Asia Cup titles winning seven and Pakistan won the Asian Champions only twice. However, they failed to qualify for the final in the last edition played in the T20 format as well.
Speaking to Star Sports in the build-up to the high-octane encounter, Hardik said, “It’s an event which I’ve seen how it checks your character and personality, and at the same point in time, you can see in how deep waters you can swim. So, for me, all these factors excite me a lot. A lot of emotions are attached by fans. For us, it is about playing a good team, playing a match against a very good side who has done very well in the recent past. We try to keep the outside noise outside and focus on how we can play good cricket. We can’t get too emotional about it because then, certain decisions can be reckless, which I don’t believe in. But, at the same point in time, it’s a mega event,” added Hardik.
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However, India also holds a 9-6 edge in the head-to-head between the sides in Asia Cups as well. Meanwhile, the competition returns to the 50-over format this year, where Team India still maintains a 7-5 lead over Pakistan as well. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya also spoke about his approach to batting in ODI cricket and spoke about adapting to the conditions as the key to success as well. He has an impressive ODIs batting record, with an average of 33.32 and a strike rate of 112.03 in 77 games as well.
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“It’s just that you have a little more time than what you think. It is a game where you have to adapt, you have to get used to the conditions because the game is going on for 50 overs, and to play, to win against a good side, you have to play a good 100 overs of cricket. As a cricketer, for me, my mindset only changes for the fact that I start preparing according to how the ODI format demands, and if the preparation is proper, then I just go out there and read the situation. Half of the time, the situation dictates itself, so you don’t have to use rocket science. You’ve to just watch the game, see, try to understand what’s happening, and maybe take a smarter call,” concluded Hardik Pandya.
