Agencies
Mirpur, Feb 26: ICC’s and Asian Cricket Council’s (Asian Cricket Council) annual money-spinner will once more see India-Pakistan lock horns in a round robin league match of the T20 Asia Cup here Saturday.
In the recent past there have been efforts made by the ICC to see that in an international tournament, there is at least one India-Pakistan clash in the group stage and if luck permits, then another in the knockouts as it is this game which fills up the coffers. So cricket’s parent body ensures one game between the two with the hope that another follow. The two countries have also been kept in the same group in the T20 Worlds which will be played after the Asia Cup.
An India-Pak game has always been full of intrigues, twists and turns. It throws up new heroes, turns heroes into villains and the popular myth in both the countries is ‘Don’t have to win the tournament, but just beat India’ and vice-versa. So more than just mere numbers, a lot more will be at stake when the two sides face-off at the Sher E Bangla Stadium here Saturday.
However, more than anything, all eyes will be riveted on Pakistan left-arm pace bowler Mohammad Aamir who is once more settling down in international cricket after serving a five-year ban on match-fixing. Aamir has had a lukewarm return in New Zealand and he also knows that all his previous sins will be buried deep if he can conjure up magic against the strong Indian batting line up.
Virat Kohli has already welcomed Aamir’s return but not much is known as to what other Indian players, including skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, think about the convicted spot-fixer’s inclusion.
In terms of preparation, both teams are suitably ready considering the amount of T20 cricket they have played in the past one month.
India have already kicked off their World T20 preparations in style, having won six out of the seven games played so far. Pakistan cricketers, on the other hand, are coming straight after playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which has helped them prepare both physically and mentally.
On paper and in every department of the game, India appear firm favourites. But then Pakistan’s strength lies in their unpredictability and on their day they can tear any side apart. They have natural talent and the moment it comes to play then it is a bad day for the other side.
The only area where Pakistan are on an even keel with India is pace bowling. Aamir and Wahab Riaz, both have the ability to swing the ball like their Indian counterparts Ashish Nehra and Jasprit Bumrah.
Overall, the match has all the ingredients to turn into an edge-of-the-seat thriller.
Numbers game
5 – Number of wins India have registered over Pakistan in the T20 format, the most important of which came in the 2007 final. Pakistan’s only win came in Bangalore in 2012 when they won the game my five wickets.
150 – Number of runs scored by Virat Kohli, the most by any batsman in the two sides.
2 – Number of fifties scored by Mohammed Hafeez of Pakistan, the most between two sides.
11 – Number of wickets taken by Pakistan’s Umar Gul, the most by any bowler in the two sides. Gul’s best was 4/37 at Ahmedabad in 2012
7 – The most number of sixes hit by an individual batsman. Yuvraj Singh achieved the feat when he scored 72 off 35 balls at Ahmedabad in 2012