CRICKET’s fiercest rivalry resumes as India and Pakistan meet in the Asia Cup for their first match since May’s military conflict between the neighbouring nations.
The Twenty20 tournament serves as crucial preparation for February’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka while reigniting one of sport’s most politically charged contests.
Eight teams begin competition in the United Arab Emirates with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi in the opening fixture.
India and Pakistan clash in Dubai on September 14 amid heightened security concerns following their worst military confrontation since 1999.
Pakistan bowling legend Wasim Akram urged players and fans from both sides to “remain disciplined and not cross the line” during the emotionally charged encounter.
The neighbours haven’t played bilateral cricket on each other’s soil since 2012 due to political tensions, meeting only in neutral venues during international tournaments.
Group stage placement means the arch-rivals could potentially face each other three times during the competition which concludes on September 28.
Tensions remain high after May’s four-day conflict involving missile, drone and artillery exchanges that killed more than 70 people before ceasefire implementation.
Both nations claimed victory in the hostilities, with lingering bitterness evident when India’s retired players withdrew from their World Championship of Legends semi-final against Pakistan in England.
The Indian veterans team led by Yuvraj Singh also refused to play Pakistan in the group stage amid growing fan demands for complete sporting boycotts.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh strongly opposed the Asia Cup match, stating “blood and sweat cannot co-exist” while conflicts continue.
India enter as strong favourites with a 10-3 T20 international record against Pakistan and defending champion status from the 2023 Asia Cup.
Pakistan face additional challenges without star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, both dropped from the T20 format due to poor recent form.
The tournament features five automatic qualifiers from the Asian Cricket Council plus Hong Kong, Oman and the UAE who qualified through the ACC Premier Cup.
Group A comprises India, Pakistan, hosts UAE and Oman while Group B contains Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka.
The group stage leads into a Super Four round before the tournament concludes with the final in Dubai. – AFP
