The stage is all set for the El Clasico of cricket as arch-rivals India and Pakistan clash in the Group A encounter in the Asia Cup. The next chapter of the iconic clash will unfold at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, August 28, at 7:30 pm IST.
The Asian giants would have chalked out their strategies and studied their opponent’s weaknesses by now. The stakes are higher for everyone involved and the teams are pretty much even in all three departments of the game.
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Skippers Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam have marshaled their troops well in the recent past and have themselves led from the front with the bat. It’s pretty coincidental that both the teams will be without their ace pacers as Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Afridi have been ruled out due to injuries.
The spotlight would definitely be on India’s superstar Virat Kohli who hasn’t been at his best lately. However, Pakistan will not underestimate the might of the talismanic batter who comes alive in the most nerve-racking situations and has a staggering record against the neighbours.
One department where India seems superior is the firepower that they possess in the middle order. With the likes of Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, and Dinesh Karthik in the arsenal, any solid start would result in India going all guns blazing in the final overs.
Pakistan have been heavily dependent on their top order for runs. Fakhar Zaman, Babar, and Mohammad Rizwan have been so consistent in the recent past that their middle order has not really been tested in a situation where a game is on the line. This might be a concern for the men in green.
With Pakistan emerging victorious in the last encounter between the two sides, India will be up for sweet revenge on Sunday.
India (IND) vs Pakistan (PAK) Possible Starting XI:
India Predicted Starting Line-up: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Pakistan Predicted Starting Line-up: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Khushdil Shah, Haider Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Usman Qadir, Shahnawaz Dahani
India vs Pakistan squads:
India Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan
Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc) Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir
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