The Asia Cup 2022 is only a few days away and the second game of the continental tournament, where India takes on arch-rivals Pakistan, is already generating buzz around it. Team India will begin their Asia Cup 2022 campaign by facing Pakistan on Sunday, August 28, for the first time since the latter defeated them at the 2021 T20 World Cup.

Former Australia star Shane Watson believes that whichever team between India and Pakistan wins in that game, will also go on to win the Asia Cup this year.

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“That first game is going to be very special to watch because Pakistan have full belief now that they can beat this Indian team. I think, really, whoever wins that game is going to go on and win the Asia Cup,” Watson said on The ICC Review show.

The former Australian all-rounder also added that he feels India might go on to win the Asia Cup in the 2022 edition. He pointed out India’s strong batting lineup, saying it’s going to be hard to limit them.

“I’ve just got a feeling India (will win the tournament). They’ve got so much firepower all the way through their batting order, so it’s going to be hard to be able to contain them,” he said.

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Since Pakistan knocked them out of the T20 World Cup in 2021, India has played 24 T20I matches, winning 19 of them. The Men in Blue have also experimented heavily in these matches, which has seen the rise of players like Deepak Hooda.

“My predicted winner is India. They’re so strong and depending on what the conditions are, they can just adapt to conditions. So I think India,” Watson opined.

However, the 41-year-old also pointed out that Pakistan also has equal chances of winning their campaign opener against India on August 28.

“I’m sitting on the fence a little bit! But I think Pakistan have a chance to win that game because of the confidence they’d have got out of winning for the first time in a long time against India,” he continued.

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Shane Watson also feels that the Pakistani players’ confidence will be high ahead of facing India, which will make them ‘nearly unstoppable.’ He also revealed that he feels that the Pakistani players are confident about beating India in a big tournament.

“Their (Pakistan’s) confidence is going to be flying high. India are hard to contain, especially their batting in particular,” he quipped.

“But Pakistan, and as I’ve always known playing against them, when their confidence is high, they’re nearly unstoppable,” he concluded.