Does Not Happen Everyday, Does it?
That we are treated to two back-to-back India vs Pakistan games and that too on a Sunday. There is a lot of fuss and a lot of talk in the media regarding this game whenever this happens. And when it happens on back-to-back weekends, you can imagine the buzz and the glitz that comes along with it. And obviously, the pressure that comes along with it.
On the surface level, if you look at it, this is just a cricket match between two teams who have some excellent players trying to win a cricket match. A team of two brilliant countries who are playing some excellent cricket and have some exceptional players of the game. A brilliant game of cricket between two teams of different countries. But try telling that to the crores and crores of people living on each side of the border. India and Pakistan playing against each other is not just about cricket or a game of 11 players playing amongst themselves to win a game of cricket. This is the first fixture everyone checks when an ICC tournament fixture is out. This is the real deal, everything else is just normal.
Hearts and TVs are broken, careers are made and destroyed and happiness and sadness are traded on both sides of the border. India vs Pakistan is not a game, it’s a spectacle. And it is not for the faint-hearted.
Enough with the hype, now let us come back to cricket. Both India and Pakistan have been dented before and during the Asia Cup with some key players being injured. According to the latest reports, Ravindra Jadeja has been ruled out for 3 months which means he might not just miss the Asia Cup but the World cup as well. Axar Patel has been named as his replacement. Shahnawaz Dahani might also not feature in the game against India as he has been ruled out with an injury. Hasan Ali might be replacing him in the playing XI.
Both India and Pakistan will be coming into this game full of confidence. They both have been playing some exceptional cricket. Pakistan will have their tails up coming into this game after beating Hong Kong by a massive margin. They will also be looking for revenge against the Indian side after being beaten last week. India on the other hand will be coming into this game after topping their group and they will be looking to continue their impressive run under captain Rohit Sharma.
IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2022 Group Stage Pitch Report
The pitch at the Dubai International Stadium has been a tricky one so far. There is always help available for the bowlers, especially the quicks. Slower bouncers and off-trackers are the balls that could make all the difference. The heat in Dubai might also play a huge role in deciding the outcome of the game. Batsmen who look to play straight will find value for their shots otherwise it should be another easy day for the bowlers.
IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2022 Group Stage Probable Playing XI
Pakistan’s Probable Playing XI
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali
India’s Probable Playing XI
Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant/Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan/R.Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh
