Picture Credit: Twitter
The 15th edition of Asia Cup 2022 is all set to commence on Saturday. The second match of the tournament will bring the most exciting clash of the year as Team India will cross swords with Pakistan on August 28 (Sunday). Players of both teams have reached UAE and are attending a three-day practice session ahead of the electrifying contest.
Both the teams took the field on Thursday evening as they attended their first net session before the tournament starts. The Board of Control for Cricket in India shared a video of Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja smashing the balls during a net session. Both the left-handed batters went for big shots hitting long sixes ahead of the Sunday clash, but Rishabh Pant bringing out his helicopter shot stood out as the wicket-keeper batter perfectly timed the ball.
https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1563129210117722114
Both the cricketers are expected to be part of the playing XI as Rishabh Pant is likely to bat at number four or five while Ravindra Jadeja who has cemented his position as a spin bowling all all-rounder is expected to bat lower the order. Earlier, the BCCI shared the videos of the practice session of Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli who displayed a similar approach during their net session.
The senior pros in the team were seen hitting Yuzvendra Chahal and veteran off-spinner R Ashwin in the nets. The videos of players from both teams exchanging pleasantries went viral as Indian players met injured Shaheen Shah Afridi and checked his well-being. Afridi was ruled out of the tournament after failing to recover from a knee injury. Even the pictures of Virat Kohli meeting Pakistan skipper Babar Azam broke the internet.
Team India and Pakistan are placed in Group A along with Hong Kong who recently secured the spot after a successful outing at Asia Cup qualifiers 2022 in Oman. The T20 tournament will kick start with Sri Lanka taking on Afghanistan in the opening match on August 27 (Saturday) at the Dubai International Stadium.