Asia Cup 2023: We strive to perform our best in India vs Pakistan, says Ravindra Jadeja
India and Pakistan are set to face each other in the Asia Cup 2023. This tournament will be played in the 50-ovber format to give the Asian teams good preparation ahead of the ODI World Cup set to be played in the months of October and November.
With India set to face Pakistan on September 2 in a blockbuster clash, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has opened up on the rivalry and explained what makes the encounter special.
In a Star Sports promo ahead of the tournament, Jadeja has said that expectations are always high when India play Pakistan in any tournament and the players strive to perform well in the game.
“When there’s a match between India and Pakistan, there are high expectations to win, but for us, any match involving India holds the same level of importance as an India-Pakistan match. However, yes, the India-Pakistan match garners more attention, and we strive to perform to the best of our abilities,” Jadeja said in an interview with Star Sports.
In the previous Asia Cup, held in the UAE by Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan won one match each from 2 ties. Pakistan defeated India in the latter stages of the tournament to book their place in the final of the 2022 tournament, which they lost against Sri Lanka.
Speaking about their loss against Pakistan, Jadeja said that the India players concentrate on giving their 100 per cent in the tournament. He further added that nothing could be done if the results would not go India’s way.
“We aim to deliver our performance and play as well as we can, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. This is a game, and the players from both sides are representing their respective countries. In my opinion, both teams are in the game to win. While you can put in proper focus and give your 100% on the field, there’s no guarantee of a particular outcome,” Jadeja said.
“You can give your best effort and play to win, but at the end of the day, if the result doesn’t go your way, there’s nothing much you can do. The main thing is to give your all and play to win,” Jadeja concluded.
The Indian team will go into the Asia Cup after a victorious ODI series against West Indies. India are expected to settle into their positions and give the core group an extended run in the run-up to the ODI World Cup 2023.
