Asia Cup: 'It will be high pressure, but ... ': Virender Sehwag makes bold prediction for India

India get their Asia Cup campaign underway against UAE on September 10. The defending champions go into the tournament as one of the solid favourites, with several pudnits and former Indian cricketers backing the side led by Suryakumar Yadav to go all the way. Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has expressed confidence that India will clinch the upcoming Men’s T20 Asia Cup, saying the team has the “skill, balance, and mindset” to thrive in high-pressure conditions. “Asia Cup has always brought out the best in Indian cricket. The team today has the skill, balance, and mindset to handle any challenge,” Sehwag said in a Sony Sports Network release. “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.” India, who have won the Asia Cup a record eight times, last claimed the title in the T20 format in Bangladesh in 2016. The 17th edition will also act as a key preparation for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, where the defending champions will look to extend their dominance. The squad announced by the BCCI earlier this week will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, with Shubman Gill returning to the side as vice-captain. Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Arshdeep Singh and Sanju Samson add further depth to the line-up. India open their Group A campaign against the UAE in Dubai on September 10 before taking on Pakistan in a high-voltage clash at the same venue on September 14. Their final group game will be against Oman in Abu Dhabi on September 19. The Super Four stage runs from September 20-26, with the final scheduled in Dubai on September 28. Recalling his own Asia Cup memories, Sehwag said the atmosphere was always special. “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.”