Asia Cup 2023: 'Don't believe in counting my chickens too much' - Rahul Dravid on India vs Pakistan matches

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After the Asia Cup 2023 schedules were released by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the nominated host for the intercontinental championship on Wednesday, India head coach Rahul Dravid said that his team would focus on the league stage matches first before planning to play Pakistan two more times in the tournament.

India will play their first match against Pakistan in Kandy on September 2. If India and Pakistan, who are placed alongside Nepal in Group A, qualify for the Super Fours they will face each other in Colombo in the Super Fours. A third chance to go against each other in the finals on September 17 is also on the cards.

However, Dravid is not thinking so far and plans to win against Pakistan and Nepal in the league stage first. However, he has said that the prospect of the arch-rivals clashing three times was exciting.

"The schedule is out and you have to qualify for the Super4s to play Pakistan three times, so one step at a time. I don't believe in counting my chickens too much. I want to play one game at a time," Dravid, who is in Port of Spain with the Indian Test team, said.

"We know we have to play Pakistan and Nepal in the first two games, we need to focus on that, we need to play good cricket, we need to win those games and then see where the tournament goes. If we get the opportunity to play them three times, I think that is fantastic, that means we reach the final of the tournament and hopefully Pakistan reach the final as well.

"That will be a great contest and great for us and we certainly aim to do that, we certainly want to play right up to the final and win that final but we have to take the first two steps before," he added.

Apart from the three possible Asia Cup matches, India and Pakistan will also lock horns in the World Cup 2023 on October 15 in Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium.