Reports: India and Pakistan set to face on August 28 in Asia Cup 2022

While all eyes will be on the blockbuster T20 World Cup 2022 clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan at the iconic MCG on October 23, this rivalry could be renewed on August 28 as multiple reports suggest that the two teams could lock horns in an Asia Cup fixture. The 2022 edition of the Asia Cup which is all set to be played in Sri Lanka will be contested in the T20 format between August 27 to September 11.

As per reports, Sri Lanka are drawn up with Afghanistan and Bangladesh while the Qualifiers will commence on August 21. Meanwhile, the schedule of the 15th edition of the Asia Cup will be officially announced soon by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) but more importantly, SLC has got the green light to host the tournament despite economic and political unrest in the country for the last few months.

The Asia Cup 2022 will be played in the shortest format as a dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup that is scheduled to be held down under in October-November. This will be the second time that the tournament will be played in the T20 format after 2016 which was won by India as they comprehensively defeated the hosts Bangladesh.

India eye vengeance after a bitter defeat in T20 World Cup 2021

The arch-rivals will be locking horns for the first time after their famous T20 World Cup 2021 group stage clash in Dubai on October 24 last year that saw Pakistan outclass India in all departments to register an emphatic 10-wicket win. The big win thus broke a 29-year World Cup jinx for the Men in Green over India.

The Men in Blue would now be hoping to stage a remarkable comeback with skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid at the helm of affairs. While the in-form duo of captain Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan will be a huge threat, the Indian top-order needs to be wary of left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi with the new ball.

The last time these two teams met, Afridi sent back Rohit and KL Rahul cheaply in his first spell and it was courtesy of batting megastar Virat Kohli’s valiant half-century that India could cross 150.