KARACHI, June 27: After mostly lop-sided matches in the preliminary round, the stage is now set for some engrossing tussles in the Super Four phase of the ninth Asia Cup cricket tournament, which begins from Saturday at the National Stadium.

Favourites India and Sri Lanka, with seven titles between them, will launch the second stage with the advantage of two points each, courtesy of first-round wins over Pakistan and Bangladesh respectively.

While India face lowly-rated Bangladesh in the first game on Saturday, hosts Pakistan are still in shock after their demoralizing defeat against the Indians on Thursday night as they prepare for another tough battle against defending champions Sri Lanka on Sunday.

The absence of Umar Gul for the rest of the tournament further depletes a bowling attack that was anything but penetrative in the India fixture as the likes of Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh helped themselves to easy runs on a very flat pitch.

India have been easily the dominant team thus far here. Even after Pakistan set them a demanding run chase, the manner in which they went after the target clearly suggested that they meant business.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has often used the word ‘ruthless’ during his media briefings when he was asked to define India’s tactics. True to his words, India have batted in that frame of mind in the league matches. After striking 14 sixes and 33 fours during their record Asia Cup total of 374-4 against Hong Kong on Wednesday, the rampant Indians cane the Pakistani bowlers for 12 sixes and 25 boundaries the next day.

Bangladesh will have to play at very best to challenge India in what could easily become another one-sided game. Sri Lanka took them to the dry cleaners when they posted 357-9 — the second highest total in the Asia Cup history — before restricting Mohammad Ashraful’s side to chalk up an easy 131-run win in the Group ‘A’ clash in Lahore on Wednesday night.

Bangladesh qualified for the second round by virtue of their victory over the United Arab Emirates ob Tuesday.

Despite resting key players, Sri Lanka still proved too formidable for the UAE, who lost both their matches. Hong Kong met the same fate as the UAE in Group ‘B’.

Super Four schedule:

June 28: Bangladesh v India. (Umpires: Simon Taufel and Brian Jerling. TV umpire: Gamini Silva. Match referee: Alan Hurst).

June 29: Sri Lanka v Pakistan (Umpires: Tony Hill and Ian Gould. TV umpire: A.F.M. Akhtaruddin Shaheen. Match referee: Alan Hurst).

June 30: Sri Lanka v Bangladesh (Umpires: Simon Taufel and Brian Jerling. TV umpire: Amish Saheba. Match referee: Alan Hurst).

July 2: Pakistan v India (Umpires: Tony Hill and Ian Gould. TV umpire: A.F.M. Akhtaruddin Shaheen. Match referee: Alan Hurst).

July 3: Sri Lanka v India (Umpires: Simon Taufel and Brian Jerling. TV umpire: Zameer Haider. Match referee: Alan Hurst).

July 4: Bangladesh v Pakistan (Umpires: Tony Hill and Ian Gould. TV umpire: Gamini Silva. Match referee: Alan Hurst).

July 6: Final (Umpires: Simon Taufel and Tony Hill. TV umpire: to be appointed. Match referee: Alan Hurst).