India and Pakistan are set to face off in the world's biggest cricket rivalry in the Asia Cup 2023 encounter on Saturday, September 2. All eyes will be on star cricketers Virat Kohli and Babar Azam as their performances will be crucial in the match's result at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Fans will be expecting some iconic player battles as well with both teams having some of the biggest names in the cricket world. Kohli thrashed Pakistani bowlers when both teams last clashed with each other in the group-stage game of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Melbourne. Kohli played a memorable match-winning knock of 82* off 53 to guide India to a thrilling last-ball win.
Kohli stunned the cricket world as he produced a memorable shot off Pakistani speedster Haris Rauf in the 19th over. He pulled off a straight six over the bowler's head by punching Rauf's good length delivery with a straight bat, arguably his best shot in T20I cricket to date. Kohli smashed Rauf for another six off the next delivery when India needed 28 runs to win off the last 9 balls.
Rauf was sensational in that match as he dismissed the likes of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav. But Kohli displayed his supremacy when he took on Rauf in the crucial 19th over of the match. Fans developed a Kohli-rauf rivalry after the game and are eagerly waiting for a player battle in the upcoming Asia Cup 2023 encounter on Saturday.
Ahead of the upcoming game, Kohli and Rauf met during the team's practice session at Pallekele for the first since their last memorable encounter. Kohli approached Rauf with a big smile on his face and both players greeted each other with a warm hug to cool down all the rivalry talk around them.
