Indian team has skill, balance and mindset to lift Asia Cup, says Sehwag

New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) Former opener Virender Sehwag believes the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team possesses the skill, balance and mindset needed to handle high-pressure conditions in the upcoming Men’s T20 Asia Cup and has backed them to lift the trophy.

In the squad announced at the BCCI headquarters on Tuesday, Shubman Gill made a return to India's T20I squad for the Asia Cup and will also be the vice-captain. India’s squad is further strengthened by the presence of the likes of Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Sanju Samson.

India has won the Asia Cup eight times, including emerging victorious in T20I edition of the competition held in Bangladesh in 2016. "Asia Cup has always brought out the best in Indian cricket. The team today has the skill, balance, and mindset to handle any challenge.”

“Playing in Dubai will be high-pressure, but that’s exactly the kind of stage where our players shine. I am confident India will once again make the nation proud by lifting the trophy," said Sehwag in a release issued by broadcasters Sony Sports Network on Friday.

India will open their Group A campaign against the UAE at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 10, followed by a high-stakes clash against Pakistan at the same venue on September 14, before facing Oman at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on September 19.

The Super Four stage of the competition will take place from September 20-26, before the final takes place in Dubai on September 28. "One of my fondest memories of the Asia Cup is walking into the dressing room on match days and feeling the buzz even before stepping onto the field.”

“You could hear the chants outside, feel the energy in every corner. I remember telling my teammates – today we won’t just play a match, we’ll give the fans a day they’ll never forget," added Sehwag, who’s seen as part of the broadcasters’ campaign titled as ‘#RagRagMeinBharat’, with the tagline reading ‘When it comes to India, 140 crore hearts beat as one’.

The 17th edition of the Asia Cup marks India’s first T20I outing since winning the home series against England by 4-1 in January. The tournament also serves as a crucial build-up platform for India ahead of next year's T20 World Cup, to be in India and Sri Lanka, where they will enter as the defending champions.

--IANS

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