Asia Cup: Pakistan rely heavily on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan against India, says Scott Styris

Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris believes that the key to India's victory over Pakistan would be the early dismissal of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris reckons that the Pakistan cricket team relies heavily on Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan and the key to India's victory over their arch-rivals would be to break the opening partnership early.

All eyes will be on the India vs Pakistan clash, which is the biggest game when it comes to the cricket world. Pakistan had decimated India by 10 wickets to register their first victory over the Virat Kohli-led side in a World Cup match in any format during last year's world event.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan played stellar roles with the bat as the Pakistan duo shared an unbeaten hundred-plus opening stand to defeat a full-strength Indian side.

“They should always be concerned about this top order, but the difference is this is probably one of the least unpredictable. Does that make them the most predictable team that I can remember for Pakistan? Because I think that they've embraced a culture of how they want to play the game and I think it's worked for them, whereas India, I think, is still searching a little bit," Scott Styris said while speaking exclusively on SPORTS18’s daily sports news show SPORTS OVER THE TOP.

"So if you were to just look at the side, they rely so heavily on this man here, Mohammad Rizwan, along with Babar Azam, because if they get them off to a start, there's a lot of power hitting to come. So, therefore, they will look to provide the base and then Fakhar Zaman of this world with all that power, that left-handed sort of variety as well," Styris added.

"I think coming in and maybe looking to attack the spinners, in particular, I think could work in Pakistan's favour. So India's key is to break that opening partnership, make those middle order players for Pakistan do what they don't want to do and that's actually at the back rather than walk out there and hit," Styris further said.