India vs Pakistan — a rollicking encounter the fans have been eagerly waiting for — is about to be staged Feb. 27 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.
It has been more than a year since the arch-rivals squared off. As the T20 season has set in, India and Pakistan will lock horns in the shortest format of the game in the upcoming Asia Cup T20 2016.
India have played Pakistan six times in international cricket's shortest format, and emerged victorious on five occasions. India will look to build on that record in the Asia Cup, but it will not be as easy as one may think.
Before the two teams set their eyes on the Asia Cup ahead of the ICC World T20 2016, let us take a look at India and Pakistan's record at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.
India have played six T20 matches in Mirpur and lost only one, and that was the ICC World T20 2014 final against Sri Lanka. India had to bow to the sheer brilliance and class of Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.
The remaining five matches they played were against Bangladesh, Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa and Australia. Team India overpowered all these sides with ease.
It shows India have maintained a good record in the shortest format of the game at this venue, and they will look to add to that record in the Asia Cup T20 2016. All the matches in this tournament will be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.
Pakistan have also played six matches at the venue, but won only thrice. Three of the six matches they have played there were against Bangladesh, and they won two of them. The other three were against West Indies, India and Australia. Pakistan got the better of Australia in a ICC World T20 2014 group match by 16 runs, which was their third victory at the venue.
India and West Indies handed Pakistan a drubbing each. Pakistan will look to better those stats at the venue in Asia Cup T20 2016.
Pakistan will play their first game of the league stage against India on Feb. 27. They will be wary of the fact that India are coming into this tournament as the No 1 T20 side in the world.
India will eye their record-breaking sixth Asia Cup title this year. Not to forget, Sri Lanka too have won this tournament five times.
With the ICC World T20 2016 on the horizon, the participating teams in the Asia Cup will look to gear up for the big-ticket tournament that starts from March 8 in India.
