India will face a daunting task as they will take on Pakistan in their second match of Asia Cup 2018. However, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly feels otherwise, as he said, the absence of Virat Kohli won’t be a deciding factor for India as they take on their arch-rivals in one of the most exciting contests of 2018 Asia Cup.

Talking about the most awaited (India vs Pakistan) battle at Asia Cup 2018, Ganguly said, “Virat Kohli's absence won't be a factor, they are a better side. It will be a 50-50 contest in Dubai,” at a promotional event. Asia Cup 2018 Schedule in PDF for Free Download: Timetable With List of All Matches in IST Including India vs Pakistan Fixture.

India vs Pakistan matches has become a rarity for a long time now, as the geopolitical relations between the two nations have hit rock bottom. However, fans do get to witness the competition between the two sides at other ICC-affiliated multination tournaments. Asia Cup 2018 Schedule of India Matches for Free PDF Download: Timetable with Fixture & Dates When Indian Will Play Including Pakistan Clash.

Speaking more about India-Pakistan rivalry, the latter has a dominant hold in the number of wins when the statistics are considered in the context of UAE. In a total of 26 matches played India and Pakistan, in UAE (Abu Dhabi and Sharjah), Pakistan has won in 17 of them.

However, when it comes to the rivalry in Asia Cup, the Men in Blue hold a slender lead in the number of wins. India and Pakistan have met 11 times in Asia Cup over the years, of which the Indian team has won in 6 of them, while its arch-rival has succeeded in only 5.

Will Ganguly’s prediction come right or will Pakistan be able to even the score at Asia Cup 2018? It is too early to predict anything, as both India and Pakistan are tipped to lift the Asia Cup trophy. Asia Cup 2018 Points Table: Pakistan Beat Hong Kong, Take Top Spot in Group A Standings of Asian Cricket Tournament.

Fans will have to wait till September 19, for that is when India and Pakistan will compete. Stay with us for all the latest updates about Asia Cup 2018!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2018 11:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).