India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2023: 5 Clashes To Look Forward To

The wait is almost over as India and Pakistan face off on Saturday in the ongoing Asia Cup. Over the years, the India-Pakistan matches have witnessed some interesting match-ups. With Kandy set to host an India-Pakistan game for the first time, one can expect fireworks at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Team India arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday, while the Pakistan players touched down in Kandy two days ahead of the clash, having thrashed Nepal in the tournament opener in Multan.

Both teams are expected to take part in a practice session later on Friday, before renewing their rivalry on Saturday.

Ahead of the match, here are five player match-ups to look forward to:

Rohit Sharma vs Shaheen Afridi

In recent times, Indian openers have struggled against left-arm pacers, especially with the new ball. And India captain Rohit Sharma hasn't been immune to left-arm quicks either.

During the Asia Cup last year, Shaheen trapped him LBW with a brilliant inswinger. Rohit's ability to tackle left-arm pacers will be put into test when India take on Pakistan.

However, Shaheen is yet to dismiss Rohit in ODI cricket.

Shubman Gill vs Naseem Shah

In Shubman Gill and Naseem Shah, India and Pakistan have two future superstars who could be the flagbearers for their respective teams going forward.

Naseem troubled the Indian openers during the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup last year, and it will be interesting to see how Gill tackles him on the night.

Both are yet to face off against each other in international cricket.

Babar Azam vs Kuldeep Yadav

With the uncertainty around Jasprit Bumrah's participation on Saturday, the onus will be on Kuldeep Yadav, when it comes to negating the class of Pakistan captain Babar