For the second year in a row, cricket enthusiasts around the globe can anticipate a pair of high-octane clashes between arch-rivals India and Pakistan. The upcoming 2023-2024 cricket season might even treat fans to an unprecedented four such showdowns.
The inaugural encounter is scheduled just a fortnight from now, precisely on September 2nd, at the Pallekele International Stadium situated in Sri Lanka. This electrifying match is part of the Asia Cup 2023 tournament, where India and Pakistan find themselves in the same group, alongside the new entrant Nepal.
As the excitement builds ahead of these pivotal matches, it’s worth noting that these teams will also face off in the ODI World Cup 2023 set to take place in Ahmedabad this coming October. Adding a touch of spice to the prelude, a former Pakistani fast bowler has recently made an intriguing comment. He shared his perspective on why the Babar Azam-led Pakistani side holds a genuine opportunity to emerge victorious against India in both of these crucial matches.
Out of the 13 times Pakistan and India have crossed paths in World Cup tournaments, Pakistan managed to secure victory only once. This lone triumph occurred during the 2021 World T20 held in the UAE.
Looking specifically at their performances in T20 World Cup clashes, Pakistan’s record against India is 1 win out of 5 matches. However, in the 50-over format, the situation is far less favorable, with Pakistan enduring a humbling streak of 7 losses in 7 encounters against India.
During a discussion with ‘Events & Happenings Sports’, Aaqib Javed expressed his viewpoint that the upcoming World Cup showdown at Narendra Modi Stadium presents an ideal chance for Pakistan to overcome India. He elaborated that this moment holds promise due to the likelihood of several senior Indian players participating in their last ODI matches within the tournament.
In response to enquiries about captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the former Pakistani World Cup-winning pace bowler remarked that although Rohit’s tenure might not be extended, Virat Kohli’s performance has been marked by intermittent flashes of brilliance rather than consistent excellence, unlike Babar Azam.
“How much longer will Rohit Sharma continue to be in the game? As for Kohli, when you contrast his performance with that of Babar’s, you’ll notice he has one exceptional season, followed by a decline. He’s undoubtedly a remarkable player, but his brilliance seems sporadic. He lacks the consistency demonstrated by Babar. This is precisely why I believe Pakistan stands its best chance to emerge victorious against India once more in a World Cup encounter,” commented Aaqib Javed.
Following their encounter in the Asia Cup group stage, India and Pakistan are slated to compete once again on October 14 in Ahmedabad as part of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Moreover, the possibility looms that these two fierce rivals might cross paths in the knockout stages of both tournaments. Many cricket pundits are optimistic about their prospects, with a significant number predicting that India and Pakistan have the potential to advance to the World Cup semifinals, and possibly even the final.
