NEW DELHI: World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has delivered a clear message to the Indian team ahead of their high-voltage Asia Cup clash against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday — focus on cricket and block out external distractions.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“The Indian players should stay focused solely on the game. They have a good team and must win,” Kapil told reporters. Emphasising the need to separate sport from politics, he added, “Players should concentrate only on their performance and not get distracted by anything else. Just go and win. The government will do its job, and the players should do theirs.”This will be India’s first meeting with Pakistan since Operation Sindoor, launched after the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year that claimed 26 lives. The government has since reiterated its policy of avoiding bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan, though participation in multilateral events like the Asia Cup remains permitted.
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India, the reigning T20 world champions, opened their campaign with a commanding nine-wicket win over UAE on Wednesday. Kapil expressed confidence in the side’s form, saying: “It’s a good team, good luck, they won well yesterday. I hope they win the trophy too.”Meanwhile, across the border, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif suggested that India’s decision to play Pakistan without hesitation has “killed the hype” of the contest. “Things get hyped when it is censored or there is any hurdle,” Latif told IANS. “The tickets are still selling in Dubai and this is the first time.”With contrasting views from two former greats, the stage is set for another marquee India-Pakistan battle. But Kapil’s message to Suryakumar Yadav’s men is crystal clear — let the cricket do the talking.
