Fans are eagerly waiting for the second IND vs PAK clash of the Asia Cup 2023, set to be played on September 10. While rain marred the first clash between the archrivals, the two sides are gearing up for a second encounter, weather permitting. However, for either side to emerge victorious, their top orders must put their hands up. The opening duo of Rohit Sharma-Shubman Gill vs Fakhar Zaman-Imam ul Haq could very well decide the outcome of the match.
Rohit-Gill vs Zaman-Imam: who is the better opening pair?
The Indian duo of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill started opening the batting in ODIs in 2023 itself. Despite a small sample size, the duo is seen as one of the best in the business. In their 10 innings together, Sharma and Gill have made 845 runs at a mind-boggling average of 93.88.
Their average of 93.88 is the best for any opening duo in the history of ODI cricket (in the list of the top 80 opening stands).
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The duo also has three hundred and seven fifty run stands in 10 innings, meaning they score 50 or more runs together in every 1.5 innings they play. The only downside the duo has is a slightly low conversion rate (42.85%) for their standards.
| Openers | Span | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma & Shubman Gill | 2023 | 10 | 845 | 93.88 | 3 | 4 |
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In comparison, the Pakistan opening duo of Fakhar Zaman and Imam Ul Haq have batted together for 6 years. During this time, the left-handed duo has played together 58 times, making 2465 runs at an average of 44.01.
The duo is already 18th on the list of all-time run scorers for the best opening partnership in ODI cricket. The Southpaws are ranked 2nd in terms of most runs by a Pakistani opening pair, behind Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar (2856 runs).
The left-handed duo has seven hundred and eleven fifty run stands between them in 58 innings. They score 50 or more runs in every third inning but have a poor conversion rate of 38%.
| Openers | Span | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fakhar Zaman & Imam-ul-Haq | 2017-2023 | 58 | 2465 | 44.01 | 7 | 11 |
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