The cricket world is buzzing with excitement as arch-rivals India and Pakistan are set to lock horns this Saturday in Pallekele, Sri Lanka.
Pakistan kicked off their campaign with a resounding 238-run win over Nepal, thanks to a dazzling century from skipper Babar Azam and a blistering 109-run knock by Iftikhar Ahmed in the death overs.
India, however, will be playing their first match of the tournament, and the absence of KL Rahul in the first two games is a notable setback. Despite this, Rohit Sharma leads a well-balanced side that is more than capable of overcoming the Men in Green. With Pakistan riding high on confidence after their massive victory in the opening game, the stage is set for a thrilling encounter.
What have they done so far?
India is stepping into the tournament with this high-stakes match against Pakistan, and skipper Rohit Sharma will be eager to lead from the front. Support from stalwarts like Virat Kohli will be crucial in this electrifying face-off. With Rahul unavailable, Shreyas Iyer is expected to fortify the middle order as a pure batter.
Conversely, Pakistan had a flying start to the Asia Cup 2023, demolishing Nepal by 238 runs in Multan. Babar Azam’s spectacular century, supported by Iftikhar Ahmed’s explosive 71-ball 109, set the tone for Pakistan’s dominance. The bowlers also played their part, with Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf bagging two wickets each, and Shadab Khan claiming four scalps with an impressive economy of 4.10.
While Pakistan currently sits at the top of the table, the clash against India will undoubtedly be a stern test.
Head to Head Record
India and Pakistan have faced each other 132 times in ODIs, with India winning 55 times and Pakistan emerging victorious in 73 encounters. Although the historical record favors Pakistan, the modern era has seen India triumph over Pakistan on numerous occasions, including a memorable series victory in 2003-04 under Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy.
Key Players
Babar Azam: Currently one of the world’s top players across all formats, Babar Azam kickstarted the tournament with a stellar century against Nepal. Facing a potent Indian pace attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, and Mohammad Siraj will be a challenge, but support from Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman should ease the pressure.
Image Source – India.com
Virat Kohli: Fans will be eager to see a repeat of Virat Kohli’s sensational T20 World Cup innings against Pakistan last year. Although the ODI format may not permit the same aggressive approach, Kohli, one of the all-time greats in ODIs, will look to build his innings carefully before launching an assault on the bowlers. Bowlers will dread bowling to the Delhi-born batter, and if he gets going, it could be a memorable day for India.
Predicted XIs
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
India: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma (c), Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Mohammad Shami
Prediction
Predicting the winner in a clash between these fierce rivals is always tricky, especially at a neutral venue. Although Pakistan started the tournament on a high note, India has a superior head-to-head record in the tournament, with seven wins to Pakistan’s five. Hence, we predict India to emerge victorious in this encounter.
Make sure to keep an eye out for this thrilling match as it promises to be a nail-biter from start to finish!
