- The Asia Cup 2023 features the most hyped match between India and Pakistan, their first ODI meeting since the 2019 World Cup.
- Pakistan started the tournament strongly with a resounding win over Nepal, boosting their confidence.
- The meeting between Virat Kohli and Haris Rauf added a personal touch to the rivalry, with their history from the T20 World Cup making it an emotional and heartwarming moment for cricket fans.
Big Asia Cup Clash
Team India is set to take on Pakistan, the world’s number one ODI team, in match number 3 of the Asia Cup 2023. This cricket match holds significant importance as it marks the first ODI encounter between these two cricketing giants since their memorable clash during the 2019 Cricket World Cup in Manchester.
Virat Kohli Meets Haris Rauf
In the lead-up match between India and Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, a heartwarming moment unfolded at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy. Indian batsman Virat Kohli was spotted interacting with Pakistani fast bowler Haris Rauf.
This meeting was significant because of a memorable face off during the T20 World Cup 2022. During that tournament, Virat Kohli had played a crucial role, hitting two massive sixes off Haris Rauf in the penultimate over of a match.
Reunion with Smiles
The history between Kohli and Rauf made this interaction even more memorable. After those sixes in the T20 World Cup, Haris Rauf had openly acknowledged that only someone of Virat’s caliber could have achieved that feat.
Also Read: How to Watch Pakistan vs India Live Stream Asia Cup 2023
Since then, the two cricketers hadn’t met until now. Warm greetings and infectious smiles marked their reunion. The heartwarming moment was captured on video and quickly became a sensation on various social media platforms, resonating with cricket fans worldwide.
Pakistan’s Strong Start
The Asia Cup 2023 was exciting for Pakistan as they secured a dominant victory over Nepal in the tournament opener. Pakistan’s performance in the opening match was impressive, winning by a remarkable margin of 238 runs.
This early success has boosted their confidence as they travel to Sri Lanka to participate in the tournament. It’s worth noting that this edition of the Asia Cup follows a ‘hybrid’ model, which adds an extra layer of uniqueness to the competition.
India’s Winning Streak
Team India, led by Rohit Sharma, comes into the Asia Cup 2023 with a strong track record against Pakistan in ODI cricket. They have won their last five encounters against their arch-rivals and are determined to extend this winning streak in the tournament.
Despite this recent success, Pakistan maintains an overall lead in head-to-head ODI matches between the two teams, winning 73 matches compared to India’s 55 out of a total of 132 ODIs.