India vs Pakistan: Head to head, key stats and records as arch rivals meet again in Asia Cup

Rohit Sharma's India and Babar Azam's Pakistan would be looking to make a good start to the 2022 Asia Cup in a match that will be played at the same venue which featured a stunning decimation of the defending champions in the T20 World Cup last year by their arch-rivals.

India and Pakistan have played numerous memorable matches across formats over the years, 14 of which were played at the Asia Cup. While it may be Pakistan who lead the head to head stats in Tests and ODIs played between the two sides, India are far ahead of their neighbours in tournament meetings between the two sides and that is also the case in the Asia Cup.

Rohit Sharma's India will be looking for revenge against Pakistan, having lost by 10 wickets in the previous clash between the to sides. (File)

The two teams, with India led by Rohit Sharma and Pakistan by Babar Azam, now meet each other again on Sunday in their first match of the 2022 Asia Cup in Dubai. Let's take a look at some of the key stats ahead of the highly anticipated clash:

Head to head record: As stated before, Pakistan lead the overall records in ODIs and Tests and India lead in tournament records. However, the Asia Cup will be played in the T20 format and it is important to note that in this format, it is India who lead the 6-2. In the Asia Cup itself, India lead 8-5, with the match being washed out once in 1997. In ODIs, Pakistan lead 73-55 while they lead India 12-9 in Test matches.

Highest run scorers: In T20Is, India skipper Rohit Sharma is the highest run scorer overall with 3487 runs in 132 T20Is at an average of 32.28 and strike rate of 140.26. India's second highest run scorer, Virat Kohli, has also scored more than Pakistan's most prolific batter, with 3308 runs in 99 T20Is at a stunning average of 50.12 and strike rate of 137.66. For Pakistan, captain Babar Azam leads the charts with 2686 runs in 74 T20Is at an average of 45.52 and strike rate of 129.44.

Highest wicket-takers: Spinners lead the wicket-taking stats in both teams with India's Yuzvendra Chahal leading the way overall with 79 wickets in 62 matches. Pakistan vice-captain Shadab Khan is their most prolific wicket taker with 73 scalps in 64 matches. Shadab's tally is tied by veteran India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has got to that mark in 72 matches. While Chahal is India's all-time highest wicket-taker in the shortest format, Shadab is still a fair distance away from taking that mantle for Pakistan. Former captain Shahid Afridi is their highest wicket-taker with 98 T20I scalps in 99 matches while former fast bowler Umar Gul is second with 85 in 64 matches. Former spinner Saeed Ajmal comes third, having tied Gul's record in 64 matches. Shadab comes fourth on the list.

Form guide: In terms of gaining match practice in T20Is, or indeed limited overs cricket, India are far ahead of Pakistan this year. Pakistan have played nine ODIs and just one T20I in 2022. India by stark contrast, have played 15 ODIs and a whopping 21 T20Is this year. In T20Is, India won 16 of those matches, even recording a series win away from home against the mighty England. On the other hand, Pakistan lost to Australia by three wickets in the lone T20I they played in Lahore. In ODIs, however, Pakistan won all but one of the matches they have played this year. India won 11 of the ODIs they have played this year.

Last match: Indian fans would not want to look at the scorecard of the previous while Pakistan fans will never forget it. India were the favourites coming into the two teams' T20 World Cup opener, largely due to the kind of names they had and because of their unbeaten record against Pakistan in 50-over and 20-over World Cup matches. However, Pakistan fast bowlers, led by Shaheen Afridi blew away the Indian batting lineup. Captain Virat Kohli's 57 off 49 balls is what pushed them to 151/7. Pakistan then chased the target without losing a wicket, with captain Babar and Mohammad Rizwan both scoring unbeaten half centuries.