Soon after the schedule of Asia Cup 2018 got released, former Australian batsman Mike Hussey came up with his tips for the Indian bowlers on how to tackle Pakistani opener Fakhar Zaman who is enjoying a purple patch in his career. 

Mike advised India’s bowlers to bowl slower ones while delivering to Zaman who recently smashed an ODI double century against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. India also had their share of experience of facing Zaman in the final of the Champions Trophy in England last year in which the southpaw scored a century – his first in international cricket. India lost that match by 180 runs.

As quoted in PTI, Hussey said, “So plans for India against Fakhar Zaman is got to be nice, tight line and length, be very disinclined and try and maintain that pressure, try and build up some pressure on him with some dot balls and make him go for the big shots earlier than what he wants to do. I think a change of pace could work against him because he goes hard at the ball, taking the pace off it (the ball) could be advantageous.”

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India will be playing Pakistan in Asia Cup on September 19 and if nothing miraculous happens, will lock horns with the arch-rivals again on September 23. Zaman recently smashed 500-plus runs in the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe and was adjudged man of the series, became only the second left-handed batsman and the sixth overall to slam a double century in ODIs. He also became the quickest to score 1,000 ODI runs, surpassing Sir Vivian Richards’s record by three innings (18 over 21) and also put up the highest opening partnership (304) in ODIs with Imam-ul-Haq.

Hussey also remembered Zaman’s knock against India in CT 2017 final, he said, “…who could forget his century in the ICC Champions Trophy (final) against India, not too long ago.”

The former Australian cricketer predicted that both India and Pakistan will be favorites in the Asia Cup 2018 but warned that Afghanistan could produce an upset.