Asia Cup 2023: India vs Pakistan bigger than the Ashes, says Tom Moody

With excitement building leading up to the Asia Cup and more specifically to the India vs Pakistan clash, Tom Moody has made a bold claim for the marquee clash. Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody said the India vs Pakistan clash has plenty of storylines and it even surpasses the iconic Ashes, a Test series played between England and Australia. “I think this match surpasses the Ashes. It’s always got a lovely story to it, and both are outstanding cricketing nations,” said Moody on Star Sports Network. Moody added it is Pakistan’s bowling against India’s batting in the contest. He stressed Pakistan could be caught short for not having enough depth in their batting department. “When you look at that Pakistan squad, it does boast a lot of talent. But one thing that stands out for me is that it also boasts experience. So now they have the combination of experience and talent, they are a real threat. “They can match India with their pace bowling; they’ve got genuine pace on their side, and the only issue I see them potentially having is the depth in the quality of their batting which India has got. So that’s going to be the interesting pressure that they put on the likes of Babar Azam at the top of the order,” he added. Moody believes Shaheen Shah Afridi will be vital for the Pakistan bowling attack. “I just think that Shaheen Afridi with the new ball is a major threat, which he has done historically. Broken through with that new ball, manages to blow away a couple of early wickets, which then opens up the middle order for India to resurrect things. Particularly for a middle order that hasn’t had a lot of game time,” said Moody. India and Pakistan will meet in the group stage of the Asia Cup on September 2. They could meet again in the Super 4 stage if things go as planned and potentially in the final.