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**India Focused on Cricket, Not Politics, Ahead of Asia Cup Clash with Pakistan**
**Dubai, UAE** – Amidst heightened geopolitical tensions, the Indian cricket team is solely focused on the upcoming Asia Cup match against Pakistan, according to batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. The highly anticipated match, scheduled for Sunday, marks the first encounter between the two sides since renewed border conflict in May.
Kotak dismissed concerns about the impact of political tensions on the players, stating that their attention is entirely on the game. “Once the BCCI said they are aligned with the government’s decision, our focus was always on the match,” Kotak told reporters. “It’s India versus Pakistan, and it will be an interesting game.” He added that “Players are focused on the ground and nothing else is on their minds.”
The match takes place against a backdrop of strained relations between the two countries, with India having ruled out bilateral sporting contests but permitting participation in multilateral tournaments like the Asia Cup.
Both teams enter the match with contrasting approaches. India is backing Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership in the T20 format. Pakistan is under scrutiny after controversially leaving out senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, to rejig their setup.
Despite the surrounding noise, the focus now shifts to the marquee clash as fans eagerly await the outcome.
First Piper 