Comparing Imam-ul-Haq and Rohit Sharma's ODI numbers in Sri Lanka ahead of Asia Cup 2023

The 2023 Asia Cup is nearing and the onus will be on co-favorites for the title - India and Pakistan. The common strength of the arch-rivals comes in the form of their strong top order.

There is not much to separate between the top three batters of India and Pakistan, based on ability and form. The Men in Green flexed their batting prowess during the second ODI against Afghanistan, where Imam-ul-Haq top scored with 91 runs while Babar Azam chipped in with a fifty as well.

In comparison, Team India's Shubman Gill is placed at No. 4 on the latest ICC rankings for ODI batters. Rohit Sharma ended his century drought during the home season earlier this year while Virat Kohli, despite talks of him batting at No. 4 ahead of the Asia Cup, is a menacing presence for the opposition bowlers.

Out of all the aforementioned batters, Imam and Rohit play a vital role for their respective sides, albeit with a different approach.

Pakistan's left-handed opening batter is a solid and assured presence at the crease, which blends well with the aggression of Fakhar Zaman at the other end. Rohit, on the other hand, looks to take on bowlers from the word go and his stint at the crease more or less dictates the temp for Team India.

On that note, with the Asia Cup 2023 set to take place primarily in Sri Lanka, let us take a look at Imam-ul-Haq and Rohit Sharma's ODI numbers in the island nation.

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#1 Appearances

Imam-ul-Haq has only made two ODI appearances in Sri Lanka to date, with both coming recently against Afghanistan in the build-up to the Asia Cup. The opening batter scored a patient fifty in Pakistan's mammoth win in the series opener and was the top-scorer, following it up with a fifty in the second ODI as well.

Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, has played a total of 26 ODI matches in Sri Lanka. The Indian opening batter has only played more matches in Australia and England when it comes to his appearances in overseas nations. His maiden appearance in Sri Lanka came in 2008, back when he used to play in the middle order, during a five-match ODI series.

Out of his 26 appearances, a majority have come at the Dambulla International Stadium, where he has played 12 matches.

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#2 Runs and average

Imam-ul-Haq has taken quite a liking to the Sri Lankan conditions after scoring successive fifties. He currently averages 76.00, with 152 runs in two matches. His runs have come at a strike rate of 76.38.

Rohit Sharma, surprisingly, does not boast dominant numbers when it comes to batting in Sri Lanka. While he has scored two double centuries against them, his record in the country is arguably mediocre at best, given his standards.

The Indian skipper has scored 583 runs in 26 matches at an average of 25.35 and a strike rate of 84.25. However, he does have a formidable record at the Pallekele International Stadium, where India will be playing their Asia Cup campaign, beginning with the clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 2.

In Pallekele, Rohit Sharma averages 91 and has a strike rate of 91.46 after three appearances.

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#3 Milestones

As mentioned earlier, Imam-ul-Haq has scored two fifties in both of his matches in Sri Lanka so far. His form will be a huge boost for Pakistan as they aim to claim the Asia Cup title for the first time since 2012.

Rohit Sharma has scored two fifties and two hundreds in Sri Lanka when it comes to the 50-over format. His centuries came at the Pallekele International Stadium and the R Premadasa Stadium.

Rohit olds a high score of an unbeaten 124, which came during a bilateral series against Sri Lanka in 2017.

Who will score more runs in the 2023 Asia Cup campaign between Rohit Sharma and Imam-ul-Haq? Let us know what you think.