The Asia Cup returns to the true slam-bang Twenty20 avatar after six and half years. For obvious reasons, the tournament is of much significance to the five Asian teams – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. That will be part of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be played in the Australia, from October 16. Attention though in the Continental tournament will be riveted on these five teams which will be joined by one of the teams from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Kuwait that is part of the qualifier competition played in Muscat.

The tournament’s marquee match has always been between the giants and arch-rivals, India and Pakistan. After the opener between Sri Lanka and Afghanistan at the Dubai International Stadium next Saturday (August 27). Rohit Sharma’s Team India will take on Babar Azam-led Pakistan on Sunday. The weekend match promises to be a blockbuster with India keen and eager to look for better fortunes at a venue where it was thumped by Pakistan in the league stage of last year’s T20 World Cup. With left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi nonplussing the India openers Rohit and KL Rahul.

Also read: Shaheen Afridi ruled out of Asia Cup with knee injury

Balancing without Bumrah is tough in Asia Cup, but we will find a way out-Sharma

Only 17 matches have been played in the T20 format in the Asia Cup and all action took place at Fatullah and at Mirpur where thirteen matches of the tournament were played. India won all five games against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the UAE before putting it against the home team.

The legion of cricket fans in these parts – in the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian gulf. Also among the diaspora across the world would look to witness high-octane matches between India and Pakistan. India will go into the tournament without its spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and seamer Harshal Patel. Both laid low by injuries of a nature that the BCCI’s press release was not specific about.

In the last six and half years, from the time he made his T20 debut against Australia in Melbourne. Bumrah has turned out in 58 internationals in the shortest format of the game, taking 69 wickets at 19.46 and at a strike rate of 18.07. Clearly, Rohit would miss his key bowler in the power play and also at the back end of the innings. Bumrah could be seen in the home white ball series against Australia and South Africa before the ICC event.