Asia Cup: After off-field drama, old rivals brace for an absorbing contest

Despite having played each other over 200 times through seven absorbing decades, the India-Pakistan rivalry in cricket is showing no signs of slowing down.

The anticipation, hype and intensity in the build-up to every new game is unpatrolled in sport.

So, when the arch rivals clash for the 204th time on Saturday in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka one can expect another breathless battle that is sure to shake the world of cricket.

India-Pakistan contests have always been beguiling and appear to get better and better with each match as millions wait for the likes of Virat Kohli and Babar Azam to deliver sporting drama where fans hold their breath from the first to the last ball.

Overall the two sides have faced each other 132 times in ODI cricket with Pakistan holding the upper hand with 73 wins compared to India’s 55 wins. Four matches have ended without a result.

Saturday’s Asia Cup match takes place at the idyllic Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, one of eight venues spread across the island nation that nestles just off the south eastern coast of India.

It will be the first India-Pakistan one-day match in four years, following the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England where India, aided by the Duckworth Lewis Method and an explosive Kohli, won by 89 runs at the Old Trafford in Manchester.

A lot has happened since then with hosts Pakistan having reluctantly opted for a hybrid model after India refused to play the Asia Cup there due to political tensions between the two countries.

Pakistan are hosting only four matches of the tournament while the rest of the 11 matches will be played in Sri Lanka.

Needless to say, the build-up to the Asia Cup has witnessed one upheaval after the other as a results of the difference of opinion between governments of both countries.

However, now that the dust has settled following the protracted back-and-forth discussions, and the tournament is up and running, it’s time for the two sides to renew the long rivalry that has yielded sustained cricketing excellence.

Indian fans will be hoping that Kohli, one of the finest one-day cricketers in the world and who dragged India across the finish the last time the two sides clashed at the ICC T20 World Cup, can once again be the feared finisher that he is.

Historically, the Pallekele pitch is known to favour big hitters which should suit India and Pakistan, both of whom boast depth, strength and experience in their ranks and possess some of the most explosive batters in the game. Both sides also appear well-rounded in their respective bowling departments with Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah expected to be frighteningly relentless while the recently recovered Jasprit Bumrah will aspire to play the role of hitman for India together with Mohammed Shami.

However, India’s expected starting XI have not played a lot of ODI cricket together of late as players like Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are on the comeback trail following injury layoffs.

India’s middle looks unsettled and could do with a bit of quality should Tilak Varma support a match-winner like Hardik Pandya.

In contrast, Pakistan’s batting line-up looks solid and settled, as they have shown in recent performances.

Although their opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Imam Ul Haq have not been particularly consistent they are followed by the capable duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who by general consensus are among the best combinations in the ODI game.

Both Azam and Rizwan showcase flair and raw power while Shadab Khan and Iftikhar Ahmed bring solidity in a batting line-up that runs deep.

Pakistan’s red-ball attack may not be as strong as it is with the white ball but Shadab Khan is a high-quality wrist spinner.

The strength lies among the quickies where Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah can ruffle a few feathers, before Rauf comes in to go for the kill.

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