India v Pakistan not a rivalry anymore: Suryakumar Yadav

Speaking after India's comprehensive six-wicket win in Dubai, their seventh straight victory over Pakistan in completed white-ball matches, Suryakumar pointed to the skewed results in India's favour in recent times.

"I feel we should stop asking this question on [India-Pakistan] rivalry, whether a team plays good cricket or not," Suryakumar said. "According to me, if two teams are playing 15-20 matches and if it is 7-all or someone is ahead 8-7, then that is called playing good cricket and that is called rivalry. 13-0, 10-1, I don't know what the stats are. But this is not a rivalry anymore."

Suryakumar had alluded to something similar in the pre-match press conference. Asked about the rivalry, he had underlined how it shows more in fuller stadiums than in cricket itself: "If we talk about rivalry, I don't know what kind of rivalry you are talking about. After going on the ground, I feel that the stadium is full. And when the stadium is full, I tell my team and everyone that it is time for entertainment," he'd said.

Speaking about the Super Four fixture, Suryakumar was clear about where India were the better side. "I feel we played better cricket than them between 7 to 15 [overs] and also from a bowling point of view," he said.

"According to me, since we last played on 14th [September], the wicket has become better. Today it was a little better for batting and it was a little hard as well. I think the team that plays well in 7-15 will always have an upper hand."

That said, it wasn't a perfect day for India. They dropped four catches, all in the same part of the ground. The last time they put down as many in a T20I was also against Pakistan, at the MCG during the 2022 T20 World Cup. But Suryakumar said that the Ring of Fire floodlights in Dubai can't be used as an excuse because India have played and practiced there often enough.

"I think the fielding coach has already sent an email to the boys who had a little butter on their hands to come to the office tomorrow or the day after," Suryakumar said lightheartedly, before adding, "But it's completely part of the game and I am okay with it. It's good that it happened in the first game because we have to play more crucial games in the future. But it's okay, it's part of the game. Happens.

"We got a few sessions here. We did a lot of fielding practice. It can't be an excuse. If the catches have gone, it has gone. We go back to the drawing board. We do a good session again and then we come back and play the game."

India opted to bowl first in the Super 4 clash. While conditions haven't changed much across the two innings in Dubai during this Asia Cup, the India captain still felt that it'd be a little better to bat in the second innings.

"According to me, the decision I took [to bowl first at the toss] was because I thought the wicket would remain the same for the entire 40 overs. And it was the same. There wasn't much of a break afterwards. And the wicket always plays better in lights."