India vs Pakistan Asia Cup: What happened when these two heavyweights locked horns in Sri Lanka in 2010

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India vs Pakistan in Asia Cup: In the realm of international cricket, very few contests fetch as much anticipation as the high-voltage India-Pakistan face-off, particularly when the venue is an extravagant event like the Asia Cup.

One such nail-biting encounter unfurled back in 2010 when Sri Lanka played host to this traditional cricket rivalry for an extraordinary One Day International (ODI) at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.

India played Pakistan 2010 in Asia Cup in Sri Lanka

Appreciating the batting-friendly surface, the then-Pakistan captain, Shahid Afridi, elected to bat after winning the toss. Opening batsman Salman Butt propelled his side with a well-crafted 74 runs off just 85 balls.

The left-handed batter's performance formed the base for decent partnerships with Imran Farhat (25) and Shoaib Malik (39). Midway through the inning, Pakistan seemed to be dominating, having lost just one wicket at a promising score of 144.

An Unexpected Turnaround for India

However, the Indian bowlers fought back as Zaheer Khan's (2/41) fiery spell successfully rattled Malik's stumps. Soon after, a sharp throw from Ravindra Jadeja resulted in Butt's dismissal, causing Pakistan to stumble to 146/3.

With the middle order failing to contribute substantially, pressure mounted on Afridi. Despite performing well for his 25-ball 32, Afridi was trapped LBW by Praveen Kumar (3/53) before he could steer the total past 220. Kamran Akmal's vital half-century, featuring two fours and three sixes, helped Pakistan set a decent target of 267 runs.

Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni revive India after shaky start

India's chase started on a shaky note, as Virender Sehwag (10) and Virat Kohli (18) departed cheaply. Sehwag seemed to struggle in the initial powerplay, while Kohli lost direction after getting off to a promising start.

An important 98-run partnership between Gautam Gambhir (83) and captain MS Dhoni (56) steadied India's innings until a sudden brawl between Gambhir and Pakistan's wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal stirred up tension during the drinks break.

Edge-of-the-Seat Climax

As the contest turned sharply towards Pakistan's favour, with India tumbling from 180/2 to 219/6, it was down to Harbhajan Singh (15*) and Suresh Raina (34) to pull off an improbable win. Raina heroically countered the mounting run-rate, but his valiant charge ended with his run-out in the final over. IND vs PAK: Players part of India XI vs Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2022 but aren't featuring in Asia Cup 2023

With a tense face-off with Shoaib Akhtar (0/57) preceding the last over, Singh heroically smashed a six off Mohammad Amir's (0/56) bowling, taking India home by 3 wickets, in what was an insanely thrilling conclusion to a gripping contest. India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2023: What happens if rain washes out Ind vs Pak Clash in Kandy?

The unexpected twists and turns throughout the match made this India vs. Pakistan ODI a remarkable chapter in the Asia Cup's history. It underscored the unpredictability that lies at the heart of cricket, especially in the traditional rivalry between India and Pakistan.

Looking back at this match, it crystallised the cricket rivalry as a spectacle of skill, strategy, and suspense that has millions riveted, inching to the edge of their seats in every delivery — a true testament to the thrilling magic of the sport.