Asia Cup 2022, India vs Pakistan: India and Pakistan resume the world's greatest cricket rivalry

An India-Pakistan match is a rare occurrence these days, which explains the buzzDUBAI: On Saturday evening, the searing heat here relented as a mild breeze swept across the ICC academy when India and Pakistan had turned up for training on the eve of their first Asia Cup match. This is the match the Asia Cricket Council (ACC) is banking on to generate heat and revenue. Every second cab driver is talking about this marquee fixture. The buzz is unmistakable.

India-Pakistan fixtures have always drawn big investments. In the past decade, the rivalry has become more intense, because the two teams meet only in multi-nation tournaments these days. That's the reason the organisers have ensured they will meet at least twice in the tournament here - thrice if they both qualify for the final on September 11.

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Even as Rohit Sharma assumed all-format captaincy by March, Rahul Dravid remained the captain of the ship all through. Unavailability of top players prompted India to field seven captains across formats in the last eight months. For a man who has forever harped on the need for consistency, Dravid’s

In essence, the authorities have turned the continental event into the now-elusive bilateral series even as the two countries are forever trying to bring about a thaw in their diplomatic relations. The administrators, even at ICC, have tried to create opportunities to pit these two against each other at marquee tournaments. And they have succeeded in doing so post 2013. It is argued that the draws are largely dominated by the urge to boost the game's financial environment.

India's history at Asia Cup

The current climate in international cricket is