India, Pakistan brace themselves for battle royale

Here we are! India and Pakistan resume their time-honoured rivalry when they take the field in the first T20I at the Chinnaswami Stadium in Bangalore on Tuesday. Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI retirement has taken some sheen off the build-up to this match but a good match can move us on from the sad news that grabbed the headlines Sunday.

As to the match, it’s very difficult to say who is the favourites. India had a horrible time against England in Tests and in the following two-T20 series, they were none the better, though they managed to win the opening match.