NEW DELHI: India captain Suryakumar Yadav refused to term his side as favourites ahead of the Asia Cup clash against arch-rivals Pakistan, emphasising that confidence naturally comes when preparations are on point.

However, when Suryakumar and Pakistan captain Salman Agha were asked about India being seen as 'clear favourites,' Suryakumar surprised everyone by responding, "Kisne bola? (Who said?)"

"'Kisne bola? Maine toh nahi suna. (Who said? I didn't hear it). Well, if your preparations are great then you are certainly confident when you take the field. Yes, we are playing after quite a while but we were here 3-4 days back. We had a good time as a team together. Really looking forward to this tournament," Suryakumar said, in response to the reporter's question in the press conference in Dubai.

When asked about the perception, Salman stated that no team can be considered a 'favourite' in T20s, given the unpredictable nature of the format.

"In T20 cricket, I don't think so any one is favourite. At a particular day, you have to play good cricket. It's a fast-paced game. A couple of overs can change the game," Salman said.

Surya also vowed that his team will play with full aggression in the high-stakes clash against Pakistan on Sunday.

Before that blockbuster encounter, India will kick off their Group A campaign on Wednesday against the UAE, setting the stage for the much-anticipated showdown with their arch-rivals.

"Aggression (is) always there on field and you can't do without aggression if you want to win," Suryakumar said during the tournament-eve captains' press conference here when asked whether the players will dial down the aggression during the marquee clash.

Responding to the same question, Salman said, "If someone wants to be aggressive that is his call. From my side I don't give anyone any instructions."