We can win the Asia Cup: Dhoni
22nd Jun 2008 23:00 IST Agencies
With the disappointment of losing the tri-series final to Pakistan behind them, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday said his side would look to build solid partnerships in the middle overs to do well at the Asia Cup starting on June 24 in Pakistan.
"We have done well on the last tour to Pakistan (2006), but that's in the past and has no relevance now. I agree with Muttiah Muralitharan's views (expressed recently that India were favourites) to the extent that if we play to our capabilities we can win the Asia Cup," the flamboyant wicket-keeper-batsman said before the team left for Karachi today.
"But we will have to be our best and I hope we can do it," he added.
Four-time champions India start their campaign in the six-team tournament, which concludes on July 6, with a match against minnows Hong Kong on June 24.
They take on hosts and archrivals Pakistan the next day at the National Stadium in what is billed as the revenge clash for Dhoni and his men, who were defeated by Shoaib Malik's team in Bangladesh in the tri-series final on June 14.
The other three teams in the fray, in a different preliminary group, are Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and UAE.
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