The stage is set in Dubai for the epic clash between India and Pakistan at the Asia Cup 2022. Rohit Sharma & Co will go into the contest as hot favourites but the memories of the humiliating 10-wicket loss in the T20 World Cup 2021 would be fresh in their minds. India have been on a terrific run recently as they defeated England and the West Indies in their backyards. But the intensities of multination tournaments are always high, and the Men in Blue are all geared up for the challenge.
Babar Azam’s Pakistan have been going through a transitional phase and are in a great rhythm. They can challenge any team on a given day and when it is India on the other side of the ring, no wonder they would be charged up on the field.
ASIA CUP 2022 – FULL COVERAGE | SCHEDULE | RESULTS
Ahead of the much-anticipated game, let’s have a look at the key battles between players
Virat Kohli vs Shadab Khan
The spotlight will be on Virat Kohli who is making a comeback with this game. It is a known fact that he plugged himself off for a while as he has been dealing with a slump in form. But following a break, he will seek redemption and look to rediscover his lost batting mojo.
Kohli’s discomfort against the leg-spin could be a factor Pakistan vice-captain Shadab Khan could capitalise on. The latter has variations in his bags and is one of the best spinners in white-ball format. He has 73 wickets to his credit in T20Is and his experience of bowling in the UAE comes in handy. This is something which is going to be interesting to watch.
Rohit Sharma vs Haris Rauf
The focus will be on Rohit too as the Indian skipper has not been able to remain consistent. He is in good form but all he needs to convert the decent start to bigger scores. He wouldn’t have forgotten the golden duck in the last year’s T20 World Cup and would look to leave an impact when he faces a Shaheen Shah Afridi-less Pakistan pace attack.
But if Afridi isn’t there, there is Haris Rauf who can cause a bit of trouble. The latter has so far scalped 42 wickets in 35 T20Is. He is the one who India should be wary of.
Arshdeep Singh vs Mohammed Rizwan
Giving an opportunity to Arshdeep Singh, who is just 6 games old in the international circuit, would be a great gamble. However, this move could leave the Pakistanis surprised. What harm a left-arm pacer can cause, that we have already seen and India might use the same method to trick arch-rivals, especially Rizwan.
The wicketkeeper-batter has been in good form lately and India need to decimate him as soon as possible. He forms a deadly combination with his captain at the top of the order, which India couldn’t breach last year. But with Arshdeep in the mix, a chance is worth taking.
Yuzvendra Chahal vs Asif Ali
Not getting picked for the T20 World Cup 2021 was probably one of the biggest heartbreaks for Yuzvendra Chahal. That pain inspired him to work hard on his craft and it was reflected months later, in the IPL 2022. He ended up as the highest wicket-taker in the league, ultimately making him the go-to spinner for India in the T20Is. He will be excited to play against Pakistan and it will be interesting to see how Pakistan batters tackle him, especially Asif Ali.
Ali is a great middle-order batter who has proved his mettle with several match-winning knocks. He has the ability to change the course of the game anytime but how he plays against Chahal, has to be seen.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Babar Azam
The leader of the Indian pace attack vs the Pakistan captain – how exciting does it sound? Well, the swing king of India has been in great nick lately and has been one of the lethal bowlers in the Indian line-up for years now. On the other hand, Babar is at the peak of his form and what he did last year at this very venue is a key factor to be considered. The No. 1 T20I batter is surely the player to watch out for and for an Indian fan, it would be interesting to see how he deals with the Indian pace attack when the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami aren’t around.
Get the latest Cricket News, Schedule and Cricket Live Scores here