Naeem Niazi
LAHORE, Aug 27 (APP): Pakistan and India cricket teams face off in yet another mouth-watering contest for the fans as both the teams kick-start their campaign in the ACC T20 Asia Cup 22 tournament at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday night.
Pak-India rivalry is proverbial now and draws the most attention of the fans across the globe. The high-voltage match between the arch-rivals is already sold-out while the cricket experts are divided on the favorite for the match as some rate India better team on the paper while others count Pakistan as the favorite to get the better of India.
Both sides have lost players due to injury before the high-profile match. Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel will not be available for India while Shaheen Shah Afridi and rookie fast bowler Mohamamd Wasim Jr will miss out for Pakistan in the important tie.
In a press talk the other day, vice captain Shadab Khan has said that matches don’t depend on individual performances but the team effort and a better team performance will decide the victory on the day.
Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson deems India as the favorites to win Asia Cup considering India have played 24 matches and won 19 since the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup while Pakistan have played 13 and won 11 matches.
On a head-to-head basis, India lead Pakistan 7-2.
The much talked about contest will pitch the arch-rivals against each other after almost a year as the team played against each other in the group-stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 21 at the same venue and Pakistan emerged as the victors high-voltage match. India’s Virat Kohli and Pakistan’s Babar Azam will be most sought-after players in the tournament.
The Asia Cup T20 is being seen as a preparatory ground for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 22 in Australia in October as it will provide an insight into team combinations and individual performances. Pakistan’s middle order will be under a scanner during the tournament as the performance of Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah will be monitored closely by the selectors and the fans.
Provided both the sides progress to the Super Four stage from Group A, which also includes Hong Kong, they will meet again on Sunday, 4 September, with one eye on the 11 September final. However, before reaching the final, they will have to overcome the challenges of the top-two sides from Group B, which comprise Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam: “I know there is tremendous excitement in both the countries but for us, it is just another game. Our preparations have been excellent and we will take the field oozing with confidence”.
“Our victory over India 11 months ago at the same venue is a good reference point, but that’s all. While we will continue to reflect on it positively, Sunday and any other matches down the line will be new fixtures that will be played in new conditions”.
“I have always believed you don’t need any additional motivation to play and perform for Pakistan. Representing your country at a global stage itself is a huge honour and pride, and the objective is always to make the country proud”. “We have a squad full of quality cricketers and match-winners, who will step-up in the absence of Shaheen Shah Afridi and take additional responsibility during the tournament. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, we had already demonstrated we were not a one-man squad. In five league matches, we had five different player of the matches”.
“I was actually touched by the way they met Shaheen Shah Afridi during Thursday’s training session and expressed their support to him. The visuals of the players interacting with each other were also heartwarming and reflected the respect and friendship they enjoy. But on the match day, everything will be kept aside and players from either side will come hard at each other in an effort to overpower the other.”
It will be the 15th edition of the Asia Cup since its inception in 1984, but only the second time it will be played on a T20 format. India had won the 2016 event in Bangladesh played on the T20 format, while Pakistan had finished third.
From (Pakistan) — Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir –.
From (India): — Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, R Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, R Jadeja, R Ashwin, Y Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan –.
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