There’s a likelihood of India and Pakistan taking part in one another as many as 3 times within the Asia Cup itself – first within the group stage, then within the Tremendous 4 stage and if all goes as petr cricket followers’ needs, once more within the summit conflict too. Then there may be the ICC ODI World Cup in India, beginning on October 5 in Ahmedabad, the place the 2 groups are once more in the identical group. Followers have a full menu this yr after an extended wait.
It will likely be a conflict of two extraordinarily gifted groups as World No.1 Pakistan tackle India, ranked third on the earth, on the Pallekele Worldwide Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka on Saturday.
Right here Timesofindia.com highlights the highest three participant battles which may have a big effect on the end result of the upcoming matches between the arch-rivals India and Pakistan within the Asia Cup:
Virat Kohli vs Shaheen Shah Afridi
It is a battle between one of many modern-day greats vs a quick bowling celebrity who has firmly cemented his place as Pakistan’s tempo spearhead. One is a veteran of 275 ODIs and the opposite has performed 40 one-dayers up to now. And it’ll properly outline the end result of the much-awaited conflict between the 2 arch-rivals.
After a protracted low of virtually three years, batting maestro Virat Kohli is again to his best possible and has up to now scored 427 runs in 9 ODIs this yr @53.37, which incorporates two tons of and a fifty. He’s scoring at a powerful strike fee of 116.03 too – his highest ever in a calendar yr. And India can be their run-machine once more to do the majority of the scoring in opposition to Pakistan.
Pakistan is among the solely two full member international locations in opposition to whom Kohli has lower than a 50 batting common in his profession, the opposite being England. Kohli has confronted Pakistan solely 13 instances in ODIs and scored 536 runs @48.72 with the assistance of two tons of and two fifties. His profession’s highest ODI rating was additionally by the way scored in opposition to Pakistan – 183 within the 2012 Asia Cup. A confirmed run-scorer within the continental event, Kohli has scored 613 runs in 10 innings within the Asia Cup (ODIs) up to now, and can be on the lookout for extra such exploits within the 2023 version.
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India vs Pakistan: Who has the sting within the Asia Cup conflict?
Left-arm pacer Afridi can be coming into the all-important Asia Cup match along with his tail up, having taken 16 wickets in simply eight ODIs this yr. A powerful common of 20.06 and an financial system fee of 5.04 exhibits his effectiveness as a tall pacer. The 23-year previous is among the fearsome pacers round nowadays and will be helpful in opposition to any batting line-up. He can be aiming for the prize wicket of Kohli within the upcoming blockbuster conflict.
The teenager has a terrific begin to his worldwide profession, taking 78 wickets in 39 ODI innings. He additionally has a great report within the Asia Cup – 6 wickets in Four ODIs at a 25.66 common and an financial system fee beneath 5. Despite the fact that Afridi remained wicketless in opposition to India in the one ODI he has performed in opposition to the Males in Blue in 2018, Pakistan can be seeking to the tall pacer to supply essential early breakthroughs for them.
ODI Data:
Virat Kohli: M 275 | I 265 | R 12898 | HS 183 | Ave. 57.32 | SR 93.62 | 46x100s | 65x50s
Shaheen Afridi: M 40 | I 39 | W 78 | BBI 6/35 | Ave. 23.08 | Econ. 5.42 | SR 25.5 | 2x5W
Rohit Sharma vs Haris Rauf
It is one other battle between an ODI grasp vs a quick rising drive. This battle upfront within the innings, may have a big effect on the end result of the competition.
For India skipper Rohit ‘Hitman’ Sharma, ODI is a format he has mastered. And if he isn’t stopped early within the innings, Pakistan will certainly really feel the ache, and that is the place one of many quickest quick bowlers round, Haris Rauf may have a giant job on his arms.
With three double centuries and a highest rating of 264 within the format, Rohit is a drive to reckon with. The India captain is in good kind this yr too, having scored 383 runs in 9 ODIs @47.87 up to now, together with 100 and two fifties. He’s a confirmed performer on the large stage and is among the top-scorers within the Asia Cup (ODIs), accumulating 745 runs @46.56 in 21 innings. Rohit additionally has a terrific report in opposition to Pakistan, scoring 720 runs in 16 innings at 51.42 common with the assistance of two tons of and 6 fifties in ODIs.
Haris Rauf’s velocity can be a problem for the Indian batting line-up as they have not confronted him in ODIs but. The pacer is a real wicket-taker and has up to now grabbed 46 wickets in 25 ODIs, and would look to proceed his good run in opposition to India too. He’s in good kind this yr, taking 17 wickets in 10 ODIs, together with his profession finest figures of 5/18 final month in opposition to Afghanistan. He made his Asia Cup debut within the event opener in opposition to Nepal this time and returned figures of two for 16 in 5 overs in Pakistan’s large 238-run win.
India will financial institution on Rohit to present them a great begin to their innings, and Pakistan’s potent tempo assault together with Rauf can be seeking to present their staff with early breakthroughs.
ODI Data:
Rohit Sharma: M 244 | I 237 | R 9837 | HS 264 | Ave. 48.69 | SR 89.97 | 30x100s | 48x50s
Haris Rauf: M 25 | I 25 | W 46 | BBI 5/18 | Ave. 25.76 | Econ. 5.72 | SR 26.6 | 1x5W
Jasprit Bumrah vs Babar Azam
It is a battle of two match-winners. India’s tempo spearhead Jasprit Bumrah vs Pakistan’s batting mainstay and captain Babar Azam.
Bumrah will play his first ODI in additional than a yr when he faces the arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday. The pacer made a comeback to worldwide cricket after an extended damage layoff, captaining India in a T20I collection final month vs Eire, and took Four wickets in 2 T20Is. He can be desperate to make a mark in opposition to Pakistan within the Asia Cup. He’s a real wicket-taking bowler and has taken 121 wickets in 72 matches up to now. He had a terrific Asia Cup (ODIs) in 2018, taking eight wickets at 16.00 common in 4 video games, and can be on the lookout for an encore this time. Bumrah although has had a below-par report in opposition to Pakistan in ODIs, taking simply Four wickets in 5 matches, and can be keen to repair these numbers this time round.
Babar is a prolific run-scorer in ODIs and has already scored greater than 5000 profession runs in 104 matches. He began his 2023 Asia Cup marketing campaign with an impressive 151 in opposition to Nepal within the event opener. It was his 19th ODI hundred. Babar has a below-par report in opposition to India although, having scored 158 runs @31.60 in 5 ODIs. Extremely, he’s but to hit a fifty in opposition to India. Babar can be greater than keen to alter that report within the upcoming matches in opposition to the arch-rivals. He’s a confirmed run-scorer within the Asia Cup, having already amassed 307 runs @51.16 in 6 video games up to now.
Bumrah can be seeking to cease Pakistan’s run-machine Babar from scoring huge within the mega contest, whereas the Pakistan captain can be seeking to make amends for his up to now below-par report in opposition to India. This battle has the potential to grow to be an important and impactful one within the much-awaited conflict on Saturday.
ODI Data:
Jaspirt Bumrah: M 72 | I 72 | W 121 | BBI 6/19 | Ave. 24.30 | Econ. 4.63 | SR 31.4 | 2x5W
Babar Azam: M 104 | I 102 | R 5353 | HS 158 | Ave. 59.47 | SR 89.39 | 19x100s | 28x50s
