Pakistan last defeated India in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Since then, in five encounters, India has won four matches, while one was abandoned due to rain. This year, there could be three more India-Pakistan clashes! Yes, you heard it right.
The schedule for the upcoming Asia Cup, set to begin in September, suggests this possibility. For Pakistan, which has struggled against India in recent times, this presents an opportunity to seek revenge for past defeats.
This year’s Asia Cup will feature eight teams, divided into two groups. Just like the previous edition, India and Pakistan have been placed in the same group. Group ‘A’ will consist of India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while Group ‘B’ includes Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
Additionally, Hong Kong and Oman will join the tournament, but their respective groups have not yet been determined. Meanwhile, Nepal, which participated in the last edition, failed to qualify for this year’s tournament.
According to the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the tournament could be held in Sri Lanka or the UAE, as both India and Pakistan are reluctant to play in each other’s countries.
Since the T20 World Cup is scheduled for 2026, this edition of the Asia Cup will follow the T20 format. The top two teams from each group will advance to the next round. In the Super Four stage, all teams will face each other. This means that, at the very least, India and Pakistan are almost certain to play against each other twice. If both teams make it to the final, they will face off three times in the same tournament.
Pakistan’s last victory against India came in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Since then, India has dominated, winning four out of five encounters, with one match being abandoned due to rain.
This is an opportunity for Pakistan to reduce the gap, while India has the chance to maintain its one-sided dominance over Pakistan in ICC events.
