The cricketing world witnessed yet another chapter in the storied rivalry, Pakistan vs India on 2nd September, a memorable Saturday as the Asia Cup 2023 commenced. As the tournament unfolds, it’s worth revisiting the intensity of their clashes in the recent past.
Notably, Pakistan has already advanced to the Super Four stage, setting the stage for more enthralling contests between these cricketing giants. Let’s delve into the last three Asia Cup encounters between these arch-rivals.
Last three Pakistan vs India Asia Cup 2023 meetings
3. Asia Cup 2022 Super Four, Dubai (4th September 2022)
Just a week after their thrilling group-stage encounter, Pakistan and India squared off once again in a fiercely contested match. This time, Pakistan emerged victorious in a close encounter.
Key to Pakistan’s success were Nawaz and Mohammad Rizwan, who formed a match-winning 71-run partnership. The dramatic match concluded with Iftikhar Ahmed scoring the crucial last two runs, although it got tense after Asif’s LBW dismissal off Arshdeep Singh’s delivery in the 20th over.
India had a bright start, with openers Rohit and Rahul adopting an aggressive approach, adding 54 runs in the first five overs. However, wickets fell in successive overs, and India’s scoring rate slowed down. Pakistan triumphed, thanks to an aggressive finish by Asif Ali and Khushdil Shah.
2. Asia Cup 2022 Group Stage, Dubai (28th August 2022)
In a thrilling last-over T20 encounter during the previous Asia Cup, Hardik Pandya played a starring role with both bat and ball to lead India to a five-wicket victory over Pakistan.
Chasing 148 for victory, Ravindra Jadeja and Pandya built a crucial fifth-wicket partnership of 52, guiding India to victory with two balls to spare. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Pandya’s brilliant bowling performances had earlier bowled out Pakistan for 147.
Pandya, who claimed 3-25 with his medium-pace bowling, held his nerve to secure a tense win for India in a match reminiscent of their previous encounter in the T20 World Cup.
1. Asia Cup 2023 Group Stage (2nd September 2023)
In the most recent encounter, during the 2023 Asia Cup group stage, Pakistan’s pacers made a significant impact as India stumbled early, losing four wickets. The trio of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen Afridi combined to take 10 wickets, dismissing India for 266 in 48.5 overs.
Unfortunately, rain disrupted play, preventing Pakistan from batting. Hardik Pandya was the top scorer for India with 87 runs, closely followed by Ishan Kishan with 82.
These recent Asia Cup clashes between Pakistan and India have showcased thrilling battles, demonstrating the enduring rivalry and the fierce competition that cricket fans eagerly await in every encounter. As the two teams prepare for future showdowns, the cricketing world eagerly anticipates more epic clashes on the horizon.
