Asia Cup, IND vs PAK | 5 Player Battles To Watch Out For in Match 9

Shaheen Afridi castled Rohit Sharma in the group stage match [AP]

On Sunday, arch-rivals India and Pakistan will lock horns with each other in match nine of the Asia Cup 2023. As both teams are studded with superstars, we anticipate an intriguing contest  at the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. 

Pakistan have showcased their dominance with bat and ball in the tournament, defeating Nepal and Bangladesh comprehensively. Although their game against India was called off, the Men in Green had an impressive outing with the ball, as Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah restricted Rohit Sharma's men to 266. 

On the other hand, India, who suffered a top-order collapse against Pakistan in pallekele, would like to put up an evolved performance with the bat in this match. The likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will be eager to silence their critics, overcoming their failures in the previous meet-up between these two sides. 

Meanwhile, there are some on-field battles that could decide the outcome of the match. So, as both teams get ready for the encounter, let's analyse and find out five such player rivalries. 

Rohit Sharma vs Shaheen Afridi

Shaheen Afridi's rise as a bowler in white-ball cricket has been inspirational, to say the least. The Pakistani seamer, capable of making the new ball talk, has always posed serious threat to opening batters, including Indian captain Rohit Sharma. Statistically, Afridi has dismissed Sharma twice, one of which came in the previous game between the two teams. 

Babar Azam vs Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep has an impressive record against Babar Azam [X.com]

Despite being incredibly gifted, Pakistani captain Babar Azam has repeatedly struggled against quality spinners from around the world. Indian spin spearhead Kuldeep Yadav has been Azam's nemesis in ODIs, dismissing him twice in 34 deliveries. 

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Hardik Pandya vs Shadab Khan

India's top-order disappointed them to the core in their Asia Cup opener versus Pakistan, as they lost four wickets in quick succession. However, experienced all-rounder Hardik Pandya rescued them from a precarious position, amassing 87 runs off just 90 balls. 

The swashbuckling finisher has a stunning record against Pakistani spinner Shadab Khan, as evident from the stats below. 

Fakhar Zaman vs Jasprit Bumrah

Explosive Pakistani opener Fakhar Zaman has had a torrid run in the Asia Cup 2023, managing only 34 runs at an average of 17. Despite being an aggressive batter, Zaman has been kept quiet by ace Indian spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who could be a threat to him in this face-off.

Ishan Kishan vs Haris Rauf

Rauf dismissed Ishan in the group stage match in Pallekele [AP]

Swashbuckling keeper-batter Ishan Kishan emerged as a massive positive for India in their opening encounter against Pakistan, helping them reach a competitive total of 266 runs. 

The southpaw had an intense battle with Haris Rauf, who gave him an aggressive send off after dismissing him in the 38th over. Kishan also smashed the bowler for a boundary and a six, which is why this battle is a must one to watch out for in this match. 

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