By Faham Uddin

Copyright timesnownews

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar said that Pakistan need to break down the hawa (aura) built around the Indian team and play the same fearless brand of cricket they played against Bangladesh. India and Pakistan will cross swords in the Asia Cup final on Sunday, September 28, at the Dubai International Stadium. Akhtar said the team needs to go into the match with an aggressive mindset and try to get India bowled out, adding the Men in Green should forget India is the number one team in the world. “We need to break out of this mindset, break down the hawa (aura) that has been built around the Indian team, and go in with the same attitude we had today against Bangladesh. Take India on. That’s the kind of attitude you need. And please remember we don’t need to go in thinking we have to bowl 20 overs. No! we need to get them out. When you go out to get them out, even India will realize they have to fight to score runs and that they won’t get any free runs,” Akhtar said on the Game On Hai show on PTV Sports. “Pakistan has to move beyond this, forget about India being the number one team. We have the number one fast bowler in Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf is as quick as anyone in the world today. So there’s no issue if you go in with this attitude.” Abhishek Sharma Key For IndiaAkhtar further said the team needs to get Abhishek Sharma out early. Abhishek has been in great form, and will go into the final on the back of three consecutive fifties. The Rawalpindi Express said if Pakistan can get Sharma out in the first two overs, India will be under big pressure. “We have to get Abhishek out, that’s it. We can accept a boundary off a good length ball, accept a boundary off a good ball, or a sharp bouncer. As a bowler, I’m telling you, even a great like Ricky Ponting can miss a powerful bouncer or a good length ball. It’s not like Abhishek will do something amazing. He has mis-timed and mis-cued shots in this tournament. The moment Abhishek gets out in the first two overs, mark my words, India will also be in trouble. The good starts they are getting right now, after which they are having a ball of a time, they will struggle as well if Abhishek gets out early. So there will be pressure on them.” “Look, no matter how India plays, Gautam, who played with us, will tell them ‘Is team ka aitbaar nahi’ (You can’t trust this team to always play badly). You’re going to have to bring your A-game against Pakistan because they can turn things around at any minute. And now against Bangladesh they have. Pakistan plays the worst cricket, they pick the worst side, but the minute the final comes, they play the best cricket and they win the final. How many times has this happened with the Pakistan team? I think that’s exactly what they’ll do.”