Ashwin: India 'Miles Ahead' of Pakistan After Asia Cup Rout, Experience Key

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has praised the India team for their dominant seven-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup, while acknowledging that the current Pakistan side does have some talented players. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said the match highlighted the clear gap between the two teams, with India operating on a different level both technically and strategically. Pakistan struggled to put up a fight at the Dubai International Stadium, being restricted to 127/9 in their 20 overs. India chased the target comfortably, finishing with 25 balls to spare. Ashwin said that while the Pakistan team has some quality, especially in players like Saim Ayub, the team as a whole lacks the exposure and experience that comes from playing in competitive leagues around the world. “I felt only Saim Ayub really showed temperament. He bowled well and picked up key wickets,” Ashwin said. “The rest of the team struggled. India, on the other hand, is in a completely different league. It’s unfair to even compare.” Ashwin also highlighted the role of India’s younger stars who have been shaped by the intense environment of the IPL. “Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Verma are used to performing under pressure. Sharma, for example, attacked Shaheen Shah Afridi right from the first ball. Compare that with Pakistan’s Mohammad Haris, who tried to go after Jasprit Bumrah and only ended up giving an easy chance,” he explained. He added that Pakistan’s batting struggled against India’s spinners, with Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy proving particularly difficult to handle. “Until Shaheen Afridi came to bat, they just couldn’t read Kuldeep or Varun,” Ashwin said. Reflecting on the wider picture, Ashwin suggested that the Asia Cup could see more competitive matches between India and Sri Lanka in future editions. “India and Sri Lanka would provide a much closer contest,” he said. Despite the lopsided scoreline, Ashwin acknowledged that the Pakistan team does have talent but stressed that the gap in experience and preparation against high-quality opposition makes it difficult for them to challenge India consistently in T20 cricket.