IND vs PAK, Asia Cup 2022: 3 player battles that could define outcome of India vs Pakistan

The Indian cricket team is all set to begin their Asia Cup 2022 campaign on Sunday evening with the much-anticipated clash against Pakistan. The arch rivals are up against each other in match no. 2 of the tournament, which will be played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai, UAE. Given the much-hyped rivalry between both teams, the Asia Cup 2022 match is expected to feature many iconic moments.

Team India is led by Rohit Sharma, who has the support of star players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar by his side, among others. On the other hand, skipper Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shadab Khan will be the top players for Pakistan in their match against India. Having said that, here’s a look at the top-3 player battles that could define the outcome of the India vs Pakistan clash on Sunday.

India vs Pakistan, Player Battles

Virat Kohli vs Shadab Khan

The on-field battle between Virat Kohli and Shadab Khan will continue during the Asia Cup 2022 match. While Kohli plays his first international game since India’s tour of England 2022 in July, he would certainly be mindful against Shadab, who is known for dismissing batters with his variations and a deadly wrong’un. Kohli is India’s 2nd highest run scorer in T20Is with 3308 runs in 99 T20Is, while Shadab is Pakistan’s most prolific wicket-taker with 73 wickets in 64 matches.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Babar Azam

Another player battle that fans are excited to watch is between India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Pakistan captain Babar Azam. Bhuvneshwar currently finds himself in the top 10 ICC T20I bowling rankings, whereas, Babar Azam is in the form of his life. While the Indian pacer has a total of 73 wickets in 72 T20Is, Babar has scored 2686 runs in 74 T20Is for Pakistan.

Rohit Sharma vs Haris Rauf

The third-most awaited player battle of the night will be between India captain Rohit and Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf. Rohit is India’s leading run scorer in T20Is with 3487 runs in 132 matches at an average of 32.28 and a strike rate of 140.26. On the other hand, Haris has a total of 42 wickets to his name in 35 games and he will be the key opening pacer of Pakistan, in the absence of Shaheen Shah Afridi.