India head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav closely inspected the pitch of the Dubai International Stadium on the eve of their highly-debated Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on Sunday.
Gambhir examined the pitch for hardness with Suryakumar also assessing the strip from close quarters.
India opened their campaign in grand style on Wednesday with a thumping nine-wicket victory over the UAE.
The spin magic -- led by Kuldeep Yadav -- completely dismantled the hosts who were bowled for a lowly 57 -- the second-lowest total of the tournament's history.
In reply, India chased down the target, needing 4.3 overs to race to victory.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's misfiring batting unit struggled initially against Oman with opener Saim Ayub and captain Salman Ali Agha returning to the dugout within the blink of an eye with a golden duck across their name. A couple of handy performances towards the end rallied Pakistan to 160/7.
Throughout their innings, Pakistan's coach Mike Hesson looked visibly concerned, scribbling notes as his batters faltered. The spin troika of Mohammad Nazaz, Sufyan Moqim and Abrar Ahmed bailed them out as they registered a daunting 93-run victory.
The emotions surrounding India's encounter with arch-rivals Pakistan remain deeply divided. While some urged that the game must go on, the other half has called for a boycott in protest.
The anger stems from the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, in which 26 tourists were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
The debate has only intensified on social media, with a section of fans vowing not to watch the high-voltage Asia Cup clash.
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