Asia Cup 2022: India take on Pak tomorrow, Cinépolis brings thrill to the big screen

NE SPORTS BUREAU
DUBAI/MUMBAI, AUG 27

A captain with a new batting philosophy and a master batter standing at the crossroads, trying to reinvent himself, will aim to create a new narrative when India get ready to settle scores with Pakistan in the marquee Asia Cup match here on Sunday.

The #AsiaCup2022 is a fresh tournament and a new start. We are here for a purpose and we will focus on what we want to achieve from this tournament. Everyone is very excited to be here: #TeamIndia captain @ImRo45 ahead of #INDvPAK. pic.twitter.com/HxfO5ziSJ5

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 27, 2022

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the two pillars of India’s white-ball team for the past decade but having received a rude jolt at this very venue 10 months back during the T20 World Cup, the duo exactly know where they stand and what they need to do to turn the tables.

Up close and personal with @imVkohli!

Coming back from a break, Virat Kohli speaks about the introspection, the realisation and his way forward! 👍

Full interview coming up on https://t.co/Z3MPyeKtDz 🎥

Watch this space for more ⌛️ #TeamIndia | #AsiaCup2022 | #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/fzZS2XH1r1

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 27, 2022

While Rohit will be eager to test his ultra-aggressive batting template against the Asian giants, for Kohli it will be the perfect platform to return to form after enduring a tough phase in the last few years. There would be a bigger picture also and that is to set the core combination for the T20 World Cup in Australia in order by the end of this tournament.

With no bilateral contests between the cross-border neighbours for 10 years now and nothing on the anvil in near future, the geo-political tension does always make for a heady build-up. But the lack of regular games mean that Indo-Pak rivalries are rather held between unfamiliar foes rather than familiar ones.

One can’t plan a lot against an opposition whom a team plays once or twice a year, while one has to expect the unexpected. The last meeting India played Pakistan, they didn’t have any idea how much Shaheen Shah Afridi had improved. The result was a 10-wicket defeat.

A lot was said after Afridi’s two-over opening spell send jitters in the Indian camp during the last T20 World Cup opener and India’s erstwhile team management did cop a lot of flak for their archaic batting approach in shortest format of the game. Questions were raised whether the sameness in the top-order with three right-handers make it easy for a good left-arm paceman to set the alarm bells ringing.

However on Sunday, there will be no Afridi (due to knee injury) to bend it back into the top three India right-handers but the fact remains that despite all the experimentations done by coach Rahul Dravid, the top-order remains exactly the same after that debacle in Dubai. Rishabh Pant-Rohit pair showed a lot of promise with their gung-ho approach and Suryakumar Yadav at the top looked menacing with his all-round strokes.

Deepak Hooda, although against Ireland, was audacious as an opener but with Kohli and KL Rahul available, it will be experience that will get first preference going into a high-profile game. In the new set-up, KL Rahul is coming back up after a surgery and Covid-19 related lay-off. He hasn’t played a single international T20 game in 2022.

In case of Kohli, the number stands at four with a half-century against a sub-par West Indies attack. Rohit, in the interim, has played some attractive little knocks but more importantly has tweaked his batting philosophy as per the needs of the team. Will Kohli and Rahul be able to do the same? That remains a big question moving forward.

A lot, however, will depend on how the trio of Suryakumar, Pant and Hardik Pandya perform between overs 10 and 20.

Babar Azam is very different from some of the Pakistani greats who have led the national team over the years. A player, who is as much about method as he is about talent, Babar has brought a calmness that has worked more often than not in past couple of years since he took charge.

If missing Afridi is a big setback for Pakistan, not having Jasprit Bumrah is no less a blow for India. In his absence (back injury) and with dependable T20 bowler Harshal Patel (rib-cage injury) also missing out, Bhuvneshwar Kumar will have a young death overs specialist Arshdeep Singh for company.

The match will test Arshdeep’s skills but more so his temperament in trying circumstances. Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya’s presence does add to the balance but the bone of contention will be if Rohit and interim head coach VVS Laxman opt for extra spinner Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravi Bishnoi at the expense of tearaway quick Avesh Khan. This promises to be a better contest than the last one.

Cinépolis brings the thrill to the big screen

As the Official Event Screening Partner, Cinépolis invites you to enjoy the upcoming Asia Cup series in your favorite #Cinépolis cinema. Yes, you heard it right!.

Book your tickets NOW!#asiacup #asiacup2022 #cricket #IndiaVsPakistan #indiancricket #indiancricketteam #india

— Cinépolis India (@IndiaCinepolis) August 27, 2022

Cinépolis, India’s 1^st international and the world’s 2^nd largest movie theatre circuit by attendance, on Saturday announced the screening of an exclusive set of matches of the Asia Cup LIVE in partnership with Asian Cricket Council. Fans across India can watch six high voltage matches in any of the 31 Cinépolis multiplexes close to them beginning with the headline clash between India and Pakistan on Sunday, 28^th August.

The other matches that will be screened LIVE include India’s second group encounter against Hong Kong, three Super 4 games including teams from both Groups A & B, and the final scheduled on Sunday, 11^th September. Fans can book their tickets to cheer for the Men in Blue at the box office, www.cinepolisindia.com, Paytm and BookMyShow for an unmatched viewing experience while enjoying the best-in-class services offered by Cinépolis. Apart from being the official event screening partner, Cinépolis has also bagged the rights to distribute the content pan India.

Jay Shah, President, Asia Cricket Council, “The right ambience can truly elevate cricket viewing for fans and enthusiasts. We are thrilled to partner with a leading movie theatre chain such as Cinepolis that extends a truly immersive match experience across multiple locations. We are hopeful the consumers will appreciate this offering and allow us to extend this partnership for season to come.”

Devang Sampat, CEO, Cinépolis India, said, “We can’t take every cricket fan to the match, but we can bring the match to the fans and give them an experience to cherish. The discerning fans not only want to watch their favourite cricketers in action but also celebrate every four, six and wicket in style. Through this unique viewing experience, we are delighted to offer our patrons and mall partners with the adrenaline rush a cricket match must be enjoyed with.”

Pen Marudhar and Cinepolis India are partnering to distribute the event content pan India.

The schedule of the matches