'It would be tough for me to name the favourite to win the match' - Sourav Ganguly's prediction ahead of high voltage India-Pakistan ODI World Cup clash

The Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup are just around the corner as the teams are gearing up for the mega events at the same time. The fans are also looking forward to the high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan, which kickstarts on September 2 when the two heavyweights clash against each other for the first time after their T20 World Cup clash last year.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly said that neither the Babar Azam-led team nor the Rohit Sharma-led team will start as favourites against one another in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. The 51-year-old said that while both sides are equally strong, the winner will be determined by which one plays better cricket on September 2.

Notably, Pakistan has recently posed a serious danger to India. The top-order Indian hitters have struggled against Shaheen Shah Afridi, so their matchup in the next Asia Cup will undoubtedly be one to watch. On the other hand, India prevailed against Pakistan in their most recent T20 World Cup matchup. Pakistan's bowling attack was completely destroyed by Virat Kohli, and he will be looking to do the same. Thus, the former India skipper anticipates a compelling duel but is unable to predict a winner.

“It would be tough for me to name the favourite to win the match. Both the teams are really good. Pakistan have a good team, and India too are really solid. Whoever plays well will win, I don’t think there’s anyone favourite as such. Whoever plays well will emerge victorious,” Ganguly stated during a press conference in Kolkata.

Ganguly backs selection of Axar Patel

Yuzvendra Chahal was not selected after a poor performance against the West Indies since he didn't make the squad for the Asia Cup. The selectors' preference for the India all-rounder has generated considerable debate.

Since Axar and Ravindra Jadeja, both have excellent bowling skills, many believe that having two players with complementary skill sets was not necessary. The left-hand all-rounder selection, however, was justified by Ganguly, who claimed that because he is a better batter than Chahal, he understands the reasoning behind it.

“You can only have three spinners and I think they have done the right thing by picking Axar (Patel), he can bat,” Ganguly also added.