Kolkata, Sept. 9 -- It's a testament to the adaptive nature of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) that the Asia Cup is still alive and kicking at a time when all other multi-nation meets have ceased to exist for more than a decade now. The formula was always foolproof along the years, given India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were similarly matched throughout the 90s and the 2000s, with Bangladesh occasionally punching above their weight. Switching between formats in the year before the World Cup has kept the Asia Cup chronologically relevant since 2016. Alarming however has been the dip in competition, raising a pertinent question if this is a level playing field anymore. India's superiority has been indisputable. Since 2010, India have won four out of seven editions, Sri Lanka twice and Pakistan only once, in 2012. The current world champions, India lead the ICC T20 rankings where Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are ranked No 7 to 10. Which makes the format-group league followed by a Super Four-quite pointless because there are only five Test playing nations in the fray. The other three teams, all associate nations, aren't expected to make the cut. Yet, the Asia Cup must go this way, primarily because associates need quality match time with top sides in a tournament that isn't a World Cup. Which explains the need to repeat the India-Pakistan clash at least once, if not twice unless Afghanistan or Sri Lanka go all the way. Given it's the biggest money spinner in world cricket, notwithstanding the fresh geopolitical context injected into the clash, it's natural for the ACC to exploit the fixture. It might be a lopsided contest though, given Pakistan have lost to Afghanistan only recently before finally defending them in the tri series final before the Asia Cup. "We wanted to prepare in a way that helps us for the Asia Cup and we've done that," Pakistan captain Salman Agha said. "We've been doing really well since the Bangladesh home series. Finally, we're in very good shape and fully prepared for the Asia Cup." Agha has to be positive but there is nothing positive about Pakistan's form since the 2022 T20 World Cup, losing 30 out of 57 T20Is. Not to forget this is also a Pakistan side without stalwarts like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, seeking new direction under a new captain. Even Afghanistan look more sorted than Pakistan, which says something about the skewed Asian order of merit these days. Given the tournament will be played on the dry, flat tracks of the UAE, Afghanistan's coterie of high-quality spinners is primed to impress in these conditions. "It's important for us to learn from these conditions ahead of the Asia Cup," said Rashid Khan, easily the best T20 spinner in the world. "Over the last eight-nine months, we haven't played much T20 cricket together and a series like this gives us positive energy. I think it's going to be a great and exciting Asia Cup for us." It's pertinent to point out here that neither Sri Lanka nor Bangladesh have a rounded bowling attack like Afghanistan. Over dependent on the mystery spin of Maheesh Theekshana and the slinging fast bowling of Matheesha Pathirana, Sri Lanka still are struggling to fill the other gaps in their bowling. Losing to Zimbabwe last week couldn't have been easy, that too after slumping to their second lowest T20I total. Preceding that came a 2-1 series defeat at home against Bangladesh, one of which came on the back of being bowled out for just 94. The despair is real, but Sri Lanka must also realise that there is nowhere to go but up from here. That might be easier said than done because Sri Lanka are clubbed with Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong in the second group, meaning one of the three Test nations won't make the cut. The logic is solid though. Post the 2007 ODI World Cup debacle, there is no way India and Pakistan can be allowed to be eliminated in the league stage. And so the ACC has treaded the understandable path of clubbing India and Pakistan with UAE and Oman for the group stage. Direct knockouts should have been the logical progression after this but taking no chance, the ACC has gone the route of the Super Four, giving India and Pakistan a plausible way of bouncing back even if they lose one game. This has been a tried and tested method by the ACC, hoping to ride the India-Pakistan tie all the way to the final. Yet the irony is that there has never been an India-Pakistan final in the Asia Cup. In less than three weeks will the world see if that trend is finally bucked....