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The arch-rivals will face each other in the second match of the Asia Cup 2022 in a Group A fixture at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on August 28.
The storied rivalry between India and Pakistan will resume when they lock horns in the Asia Cup 2022 on Sunday. They are placed in Group A alongside Hong Kong, with the top two teams from each group going through to Super Four. Those four teams will then play each other once in Super Four for a spot in the final.
The Men in Blue have had plenty of T20 action in recent times, playing a total of 23 matches since their group stage exit in the previous T20 World Cup. They have won 19 of those matches, showing outstanding form.
Straight after the IPL 2022, India faced South Africa at home, where they lost the first two matches but bounced to level the series with back-to-back victories before the series decider was washed out. They later toured the UK, defeating Ireland by 2-0 with a second-string side and then beating England by 2-1. Most recently, India smashed West Indies by 4-1 in a five-match series in the Caribbean.
Pakistan have only played one T20I this year – against Australia in June. After their loss in the semi-final last year, they had toured Bangladesh and thrashed the hosts by 3-0. Later in December, they hosted West Indies and swept the series by three-nil as well.
The last time these two teams clashed was in the T20 World Cup, where Pakistan had come out on top by 10 wickets. The two teams will look to get an advantage over the other with one eye on the upcoming T20 World Cup.
India have won the Asia Cup the most – seven times, including the previous two editions. They have also won the only edition that was held in the T20 format previously. Pakistan have won the trophy twice, with the last one coming in 2012.
Key players
One the best classical players in the world and has been incredibly consistent in white-ball cricket, Babar Azam has amassed 2686 runs in international T20s from 74 games at an average of 46 and strike rate of 129. The right hander has registered one hundred and 26 fifties in the format. Babar is coming off superb form, having scored one hundred and five fifties in his last five matches across formats.
Suryakumar Yadav is arguably India’s best T20 batter in the last couple of years. The right-hander is in the form of his life and an excellent player of spin, making him very valuable to the side. SKY has done exceptionally well in T20 internationals, scoring 672 runs at a strike rate of 175 while averaging 37. Recently, he smashed 76 off 44 against West Indies after blasting 117 off 55 against England.
Having returned to good form and fitness recently, Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be an even more crucial player for India in the absence of Japsrit Bumrah. Bhuvneshwar is arguably the best new ball pacer in the world and has done well this year. He has scalped 20 wickets this year in 16 T20 innings at 6.84 rpo while striking every 15.6 balls, including best figures of 4/13.
Shadab Khan offers a great all-round value to the side with bat and ball. The leg-spinning all-rounder has done very well in the shorter format.
He has picked 73 wickets in 64 T20Is at an economy of 7.11 with two four-wicket hauls. With the bat, he strikes at 137 and averages 18. Shadab has snared seven wickets and has scored 79 runs in the last five T20 matches.
Prediction
The sides haven’t played each other much in the T20 format due to the political tensions between the two countries. Out of nine encounters between them, India have claimed seven while Pakistan have won only twice.
Both the rivals have suffered big blows in their bowling attacks. India are without Bumrah and Harshal Patel whereas Pakistan will miss Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Wasim.
Pakistan’s bowling attack is likely to comprise Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, with Shadab and Mohammad Nawaz as spin all-rounders.
India have Kumar, Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan as the pace bowling options along with Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravi Bishnoi as spinners.
India will have a decision to make in the batting unit with several options in contention. One of Dinesh Karthik or Ravindra Jadeja may have to sit out. They will have Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, SKY, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya as certainties. Pakistan have Babar and Rizwan as openers, followed by Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah and Asif Ali.
India do have a slight edge, but Dubai is a venue where chasing is significantly better. The team batting second should win this clash on Sunday.
