Five epic moments from Indo-Pak clashes in Asia Cup

Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is pumped up after scoring a hundred against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2012. File photo: AFP/Munir Uz Zaman

India take on Pakistan in a One-Day International (ODI) after a long gap four years in their opening match of the Asia Cup in the Sri Lankan city of Pallekele on Saturday.

India thrashed Pakistan by 89 runs via Duckworth-Lewis method in their last meeting in the 2019 World Cup.

The two teams have clashed on 13 occasions in the Asia Cup when the tournament was held in an ODI format. India have a 7-5 lead over Pakistan in head-to-head record with one match ending in no result.

Onmanorama takes a look at five epic moments from Indo-Pak clashes in the Asia Cup.

Kohli's masterly 183

Pakistan amassed 329/6 in the group match at Mirpur in 2012. Openers Nasir Jamshed (112) and Mohammad Hafeez (105)'s hundreds took them to a big total, However, Virat Kohli made it a stroll in the park for the Men in Blue with a superb 183 off just 148 balls. He smashed 22 fours and a six as the Indians were home and dry with 13 balls to spare.

Afridi's twin sixes in final over

Pakistan needed 10 runs off the final over with two wickets in hand to win the group game at Mirpur in the 2014 edition. Off-spinner R Ashwin sent back Saeed Ajmal off the first ball. Last-man Junaid Khan picked up a single off the second ball to bring Shahid Afridi back on strike. Afridi produced sixes off the next two balls to seal a thrilling one-wicket win for Pakistan.

Sahid Afridi
Sahid Afridi, right, celebrates after winning the 2014 Asia Cup tie against India. File photo: AFP/Munir Uz Zaman

Harbhajan's cameo

Harbhajan Singh took India over the line in a humdinger in the 2010 edition.

Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh, right, celebrates India's victory over Pakistan in the 2010 edition. File photo: AFP/Lakruwan Wanniarachchi

Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir had six runs to defend in the final over of the contest in Dambulla. Suresh Raina was run out while attempting a second run off the second ball. The Indians needed three off the last two balls when Harbhajan clinched the tie in style with a six. 

Mohinder guides India home

The gutsy Mohinder Amarnath came up with a special knock on a rank turner in Dhaka in 1988. Indian spinners Arshad Ayub (5/21) and Maninder Singh (2/25) combined to bowl Pakistan out for a lowly 142 in the 45-overs-a-side contest.

Mohinder's unbeaten 74 off 122 balls was the high point of India's four-wicket win. Opener Krishnamchari Srikkanth (23) and Mohammad Azharuddin (15) were the other Indian batsmen to enter double digits.

Yousuf dazzles

Mohammad Yousuf's unbeaten 100 set up Pakistan's 44-run win over India in Dhaka in 2000. Yousuf, who came in at No. 3, got to his hundred off the last ball of the innings with a six off medium-pacer T Kumaran. His 112-ball knock was laced with nine fours and a six.

India, chasing a target of  296, could manage only 251.

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