Asia Cup 2018: Sarfraz Ahmed unhappy with India playing all their matches in Dubai

Prior the Asia Cup 2018 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India were scheduled to play some of their Super 4 matches in Abu Dhabi and the group matches in Dubai. However, after a request from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), all their matches have been shifted to Dubai.

In the meantime, Pakistan have been asked to play their Super 4 matches at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. However, the same hasn’t pleased Sarfraz Ahmed, the Pakistani captain by any means, and he has called for equal treatment for all the participating teams.

“Even if India lose their matches, they will play in Dubai. If you have to travel during matches for one and a half hour. It is difficult. And then train in this weather… It should be even for all teams. If there are matches in Abu Dhabi, all teams should play there,” Sarfraz was quoted as saying in Sport 360.

Champions Trophy is in the past. It’s history

India and Pakistan are set to lock horns in a Group A clash tomorrow at Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the match is expected to be an absolute crackerjack. India won’t have the luxury of Virat Kohli, the Delhi born batsman in their lineup and a number of cricketers have mentioned his absence to have weakened their star-studded batting lineup.

Talking about the hype surrounding the marquee contest, Sarfraz said: “Tension is always there. As a player, we take it normally. But the hype that is created in media, social media, if does have an effect. We ask players to play India-Pakistan match like any other match.”

The teams last met in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England and Wales where Sarfraz’s men demolished Kohli’s men by a mammoth margin of 180 runs in the final of the tournament at Kennington Oval in London. However, the Pakistani captain reckons the victory as a thing of the past and wants to concentrate on their upcoming encounter against their arch-rivals.

“Champions Trophy is in the past. It’s history. Those memories will remain with us. But this is a new event, atmosphere. Conditions are different,” he added.

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