Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammed Rizwan has shared his thoughts about the upcoming India vs. Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2023. The Asia Cup 2023 is all set to kickstart on August 30th and will be held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is on September 2 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. The high-voltage clash will also serve as Team India’s campaign opener.
As the Asia Cup is all set to kickstart soon, all eyes will be on the India vs Pakistan rivalry, which is often hailed as the biggest rivalry ever in world cricket, considering the history of the game and politics between the countries.
Mohammad Rizwan On IND vs PAK Rivalry
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s star keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan talked about the intensity of the India vs. Pakistan clash ahead of the epic encounter. Rizwan acknowledged the prowess of both teams and pointed out that the team that manages to soak pressure effectively will emerge victorious. He said:
“In the world of cricket, both India and Pakistan are strong contenders. Each team has its strengths and weaknesses. What will matter most in a high-pressure match like this is how well a player can handle the stress and deliver under the spotlight. Experience often makes the difference between a star player and a regular one, and the one who thrives under pressure will likely be the one to secure the win,”
Mohammad Rizwan speaks on the rivalry of Pakistan vs India. It's heating up 🇵🇰🇮🇳🔥 #AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/zTVDdEZZA8
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) August 27, 2023
Earlier, Pakistan captain Babar Azam had also shared his thoughts regarding the high-voltage clash between the two arch-rivals. Azam claimed that the IND vs PAK match is the most followed cricket match in the history of the game and expressed how people wait for the contest with bated breath. He said:
“India-Pakistan matches have been a big rivalry, the whole world watches the contest, they enjoy the quality of cricket played and as a team we enjoy the contest,”
Further speaking on the quality of IND-PAK matches in recent times, Babar said: ”the quality of cricket is good in these matches and also competitive. People who wait for this match for a long time inspire both teams to do well on the ground”.
Previous IND vs PAK Rivalries:
Talking about India’s record in the Asia Cup, the Men in Blue have won the title seven times, having won last in 2018 under Rohit Sharma’s leadership. On the other hand, Pakistan has won the tournament twice. They won the Asia Cup last in 2012.
Overall, in 132 ODIs between these two sides, India has won 55 while Pakistan has won 73. Four matches have ended in no result. In the history of the Asia Cup, both teams have played 16 matches against each other. Here, India has won nine, Pakistan has won six while one has ended in no result.
India and Pakistan Squads For Asia Cup 2023
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Tayyab Tahir, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Haris, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi.
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumraj, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (travelling reserve).
