The arch-rivals are due to square off in the Asia Cup 2023 on September 2 in Pallekele.
Before the World Cup encounter, the arch-rivals are due to square off in the Asia Cup 2023 on September 2 in Pallekele.
If the two teams qualify for the Super-4 stage, they will lock horns again on September 10 in Colombo while reaching the final would put them against each other for the third time in the competition on September 17.
With less than a month remaining for the Asia Cup clash, India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has opened up on the rivalry and explained what makes the encounter special.
"When there's a match between India and Pakistan, there are high expectations to win, but for us, any match involving India holds the same level of importance as an India-Pakistan match. However, yes, the India-Pakistan match garners more attention, and we strive to perform to the best of our abilities," Jadeja said in a Star Sports promo ahead of the tournament.
In the 2022 edition of Asia Cup, India and Pakistan faced each other twice and won one game each. The Men in Green defeated the Rohit Sharma-led side in the latter stages of the tournament to book their place in the final, which they lost to Sri Lanka.
Talking about their loss against Pakistan, Jadeja said: "We aim to deliver our performance and play as well as we can, but sometimes things don't go as planned. This is a game, and the players from both sides are representing their respective countries. In my opinion, both teams are in the game to win. While you can put in proper focus and give your 100% on the field, there's no guarantee of a particular outcome."
"You can give your best effort and play to win, but at the end of the day, if the result doesn't go your way, there's nothing much you can do. The main thing is to give your all and play to win," he concluded.