Five classic Indo-Pak contests from Asia Cup | Video

India take on Pakistan in their second group match of the Asia Cup in Dubai on Wednesday. The two teams have met 12 times in the competition and India hold a marginal 6-5 lead with one game ending in no result. It is interesting to note that the two giants have never met in the final of the tournament. Ahead of the eagerly awaited clash, Onmanorama takes a look at five classic Indo-Pak contests from the past in the Asia Cup.

1. India beat Pakistan by four wickets at Dhaka in 1988

India needed a win to keep their hopes alive after losing to Sri Lanka in an earlier group game. Off-spinner Arshad Ayub returned career-best figures of 5/21 and left-arm spinner Maninder Singh chipped in with 2/25 as India bowled out Pakistan for 142 in 42.2 overs. Openers Rameez Raja (33) and Moin-ul-Atiq (38) had put on 62 for the first wicket before Ayub took centre stage. India rode on Mohinder Amarnath's brilliant unbeaten 74 to get over the line in the 41st over despite a fine spell (3/27) by leg-spin maestro Abdul Qadir. India qualified for the final and went on to clinch the title by beating the Lankans.

2. Pakistan beat India by 44 runs at Dhaka in 2000

As in the 1988 edition, India needed a win over Pakistan to have any chance of progressing to the final. But this time around, Pakistan under Moin Khan proved too good for Sourav Ganguly & Co. Mohammad Yousuf smashed an unbeaten 100 as Pakistan ended up with 295/7 in their 50 overs. India, who were looking good at one stage lost three quick wickets to slip to 75/4 from 68/1. Though Ajay Jadeja fought hard with a fine 93, India were bowled out for 251.

It also turned out to be the last international match for Indian stars Mohammad Azharuddin and Jadeja as the Board of Control for Cricket in India slapped a life ban on the former and a five-year ban on the latter in the aftermath of the match-fixing scandal. Pakistan outplayed Sri Lanka in the final to clinch their maiden Asia Cup.

3. India beat Pakistan by three wickets at Dambulla in 2010

This was an absolute humdinger and India eliminated Pakistan in a last-over finish. Pakistan put on a competitive 267 before being bowled out in the final over. Opener Salman Butt top-scored with 74, while wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal scored a 41-ball 51 down the order.

Opener Gautam Gambhir (83) and skipper M S Dhoni (56) controlled the Indian chase and added 98 for the third wicket. But Pakistan bounced back by claiming three quick wickets and it was left to Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh to take India home. Raina scored a 27-ball 34 and Harbhajan finished off the match in style by smashing a six off Mohammad Amir with one ball to spare. Harbhajan, who had exchanged a few heated words with Shoaib Akhtar, let out a huge roar after hitting the winning shot even as the Pakistan tearaway waved him away.

4. India beat Pakistan by six wickets at Dhaka in 2012

This high-scoring game was a treat for the crowd and the television viewers alike. Pakistan notched up 329/6 with openers Mohammad Hafeez (105) and Nasir Jamshed (112) putting on 244 for the first wicket. However, Virat Kohli came up with a magnificent 183 off 148 balls as India chased down the target with ease on a batting paradise.

Despite the win India failed to qualify for the final as hosts Bangladesh, who had earlier stunned the Men in Blue, beat Sri Lanka in their final group match to set up a title clash with Pakistan. This also proved to be Sachin Tendulkar's final one-dayer as the Master Blaster announced his retirement from the shorter version of the game later in the year.

5. Pakistan beat India by one wicket at Dhaka in 2014

Shahid Afridi's unbeaten 34 off 18 balls helped Pakistan pull off a thrilling one-wicket win a game of fluctuating fortunes. India ended up with 245/8 in their 50 overs, thanks to fifties by Rohit Sharma (56), Ambati Rayudu (58) and Ravindra Jadeja (52). Hafeez (75) kept Pakistan on course, but they kept losing wickets towards the end.

Pakistan needed 10 off the final over bowled by R Ashwin and the offie struck with his first ball as he castled Saeed Ajmal. But last man Junaid Khan took a single off the next delivery and Afridi sealed India's fate with consecutive sixes to wrap up a memorable win. India failed to qualify for the final which was contested by eventual champions Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

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