“There’s a reason behind them being number one in ODIs”: Rohit Sharma ahead of Ind Vs Pak Match.

In anticipation of their upcoming encounter with Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, Indian captain Rohit Sharma offered his praise for the Pakistani team. He acknowledged their quality and highlighted their recent consistency, which has contributed to their status as the number-one ranked ODI team in the world.

In the Asia Cup’s opening match, captained by Babar Azam, the Pakistani side showcased their prowess by defeating Nepal with a commanding 238-run victory. This victory brought them one step closer to the Super Four stage of the tournament. During this match, skipper Babar Azam exhibited an exceptional performance by scoring 151 runs, while Iftikhar Ahmed achieved a milestone by notching his maiden ODI century.

Rohit Sharma emphasized that the Indian team is not underestimating their Pakistani counterparts. He acknowledged that beating Pakistan in the upcoming clash in Pallekele on Saturday, September 2, would be a challenging task, considering the talent and recent form displayed by the Pakistani team.

Rohit Sharma said “Pakistan are a quality side. They have been terrific in the last few years. Be it in the T20 World Cup or in bilateral series, they have done well. There’s a reason behind them being the number-one ranked team in ODIs. There’s a lot of hard work behind it. I’m sure they have worked really hard to be in this position and plus, they have a lot of unity in the team.

They are in good form, so it will be a tough challenge for us to get the job done. However, we have prepared well. We have improved in certain areas. Hopefully, we will be able to apply the things we have planned in the match,”