India and Pakistan are set to collide in the group stage of the Asia Cup on September 14 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Ahead of the competition, Pakistan announced a 17-man squad, captained by Salman Ali Agha, while marquee players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have been excluded.
On the other hand, the Indian selectors are expected to meet on August 19 to finalise the squad led by Suryakumar Yadav.
With the tournament on the horizon and squads settled, Ahmed Shezad backed India as a stronger side on paper, though he noted that pressure could prove decisive when the teams face off in the UAE.
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Ahmed Shehzad predicts winner of IND vs PAK clash ahead of Asia Cup
Despite the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from T20Is, India boasts of great depth in the shortest format, with bona fide legends of the format like Yadav and Hardik Pandya as opposed to a Pakistan team that looks slightly inexperienced heading into the eight-team competition.
In their recent face-offs, Pakistan has failed to win any of their last 6 matches against India since 2021.
Shehzad pointed to Pakistan's recent record against the neighbours, which includes five defeats and one washed-out match in the Asia Cup 2023 in Pallekele.
"If you ask me, the recent performance of Pakistan has not been that good, and it’s not hidden from anyone. If you compare them with India, they are far ahead, which is an undeniable fact. But for me, when India and Pakistan play together, the chances are always fifty-fifty as it’s a pressure game," he said.
"Pressure brings both teams on the same page because the chances of committing errors are almost equal in both camps. India may have more match-winners than Pakistan, but pressure can sting them anytime," he concluded.
Contrary to what the 33-year-old said, Pakistan have looked slightly vulnerable under pressure against India in the recent head-to-head matches.
They notably failed to chase India's 119 runs in New York during last year's T20 World Cup from a winning position after their 2023 debacle, where they suffered a collapse from 155/3 to 191 all out in the ODI World Cup.
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India stepped up under pressure on both occasions and won the encounters convincingly. Similarly, the Men in Blue are expected to go into the Asia Cup as clear favourites to win against Pakistan in Dubai.