Asia Cup 2022

K.L. Rahul, addressing a press conference, said, "We all are very excited and we always look forward to the clash between India and Pakistan." "These big tournaments are always exciting and there is a history of rivalry and (thus) the game always comes with high intensity. We learned from our mistakes, and we are looking forward to this match with a new approach," he added.

The two sides will meet at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday with the Indian team looking to get even for their T20 World Cup defeat at the same venue in 2021. Pumped up fans in Gulf countries are keenly looking forward to the encounter as match tickets have been lapped up much in advance with people from UAE's neighbouring countries like Qatar and Bahrain planning to travel to the glitzy Emirate to watch the spectacle.

Wasim had picked up the injury while bowling in Pakistan's practice session for ACC T20 Asia Cup on Wednesday. He is the second Pakistan speedster to be ruled out of the Asia Cup before the start of the event. Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was earlier ruled out due to an injury and Mohd Hasnain was called in as a replacement.

The last time the two sides met in the T20 World Cup in October last year, Pakistan had thrashed India by 10 wickets. With scores to settle on Sunday, the Men in Blue looked determined and upbeat when the hit the nets ahead of the big match here on Friday. All eyes were on Virat Kohli, who is going through prolonged lean patch given the lofty standards he had set for himself.

In 13 matches from August 27 to September 11, across Dubai and Sharjah, the top six teams from Asia will be vying for the trophy which was established 38 years ago co-incidentally in the UAE. The positioning of the tournament comes at a very interesting time. The Covid-19 pandemic forced the tournament, last held in 2018 in the UAE, to be postponed from 2020 to 2022.

Both Kohli and Rahul are coming back to India's T20I side for the Asia Cup. But the challenge for the duo is to adapt themselves to the new, attacking approach with the bat India has embraced whenever the duo were not featuring regularly since last year's T20 World Cup in the UAE.

Thousands of fans remained logged into their computers and mobile phone for hours to buy tickets online for the clash, but only a few were lucky to get seats. However, hotels and restaurants have come out with offers to make viewing of the match equally pleasurable, and are offering delectable platters so that families and friend can come together for an evening of fun, food and music.

Kohli, who is returning to the side for the Asia Cup here after taking a month-long break, tweeted that being MSD's deputy was the "most enjoyable and exciting period" of his career and it will have a "special" place in his heart.

Ahead of the start of the tournament, Pakistan suffered a massive blow when star pacer Shaheen Afridi was ruled out due to a knee injury, which he picked up while fielding during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Right-arm fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain has replaced Afridi in Pakistan's 15-member squad for the Asia Cup.

The 2022 Asia Cup, in 20-over format, will see India entering the competition as defending champions, having won the competition in the 50-over format in 2018 in the UAE as well as in the T20I format in 2016 in Bangladesh. Styris pointed out that not imposing themselves in the start of Men's T20 World Cup last year was something which costed India matches against Pakistan and New Zealand.