The clash of the junior titans ahead of the next month's much-awaited India-Pakistan series has created a lot of excitement among the country's cricket lovers. The day-night contest will start at 1.30pm at the Bangabandhu National Stadium with Bangladesh Television providing live coverage.

Although India suffered a blow after losing their captain Ambati Rayudu through suspension, coach Robin Singh it would not dampen the fighting spirit of his boys.

"It was too harsh but we will have live with it. The boys will definitely miss him in the middle, but I believe they will make every effort to ensure that Rayudu plays one more game in the tournament," said Singh, the former Indian all-rounder.

Rayudu was banned for one game after he was reported for time wasting during the last group match against Sri Lanka.

Singh, who was involved in an epic chase in 1997 when India toppled Pakistan's massive 314 at the same venue, said that even at junior level this team has shown its potential for fireworks. He was clearly referring to run-machine Shikhar Dhawan. The Delhi southpaw has already slammed three hundreds and one fifty in six innings. He has scored 497 runs at a staggering average of 99.40.

"Nothing would be more pleasing then to see another big hundred by Dhawan. But we have plenty of other players who can strike the ball. The most important thing we have learned is how to play under pressure which I think will help them to overcome Pakistan," said the Indian coach.

Singh's Pakistan counterpart Aaquib Javed however was not intimidated at the thought of the opponents' depth in batting.

"We have plenty of weapons to counter the free-scoring Indians. There are as many as seven players in the side who have got the ability to take wickets when required. I also want to see how the Indians cope with the reverse-swing which won't be in short supply," said the former Pakistan pace bowler.

Besides, Aaquib was keen to avenge the defeat in last year's four-nation tournament on home soil.

Riaz Afridi will be the key Pakis-tan bowler whom Aaquib will pin his hopes on. The tall right-arm quick has already captured 16 wickets to make him joint-highest in the meet.

While the Asian heavyweights fight it out for a place in the March 5 final, away at Chittagong's MA Aziz Stadium Australia meet Ireland in the first Plate Champi-onship semifinal.

TEAMS
INDIA (from): Robin Uthappa, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik (captain), Praful Waghela, Faiz Yakub Fazal, Abhishek Sharma, Praveen Gupta, Vikram Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh, Gaurav Dhiman, Sunny Singh and Nikhil Rathod.

PAKISTAN (from): Khalid Latif (captain), Adnan Zaheer, Asif Iqbal, Tariq Mahmood, Saeed Muha-mmad, Mansoor Amjad, Fawad Alam, Zulqarnain Haider, Abid Ali, Jahangir Mirza, Wahid Riaz, Salman Qadir, Riaz Afridi and Imran Pasha.