A1 v A2 - 04/09/2022
Less than a week has passed since India and Pakistan faced each other in the Asia Cup group stage. Now global cricket fans have got another chance to witness the marquee clash. Pakistanβs massive 155-run victory against Hong Kong paved the way for the mega clash. India and Pakistan will lock horns for the Asia Cup Super 4 match at the Dubai International Stadium at 7:30 PM IST. After a breath taking group league encounter, fans are eagerly waiting for another thriller.
It's take-two of India's Rishabh Pant v Dinesh Karthik debate. They chose the latter in their Asia Cup opener against Pakistan and came away none the wiser. Ravindra Jadeja, the only other left-hander in the line-up, was pushed up the order and got stuck playing against spin, who he has usually struggled against. He still finished with 35, but is now ruled out with injury. Axar Patel, his replacement, should walk into the XI while Hardik Pandya, who missed the Hong Kong fixture, should return too. This then leaves Rohit & Co. with that difficult decision again. Which way do they sway?
That Axar is a bowling allrounder and comes with inferior batting returns compared to Jadeja could tilt the decision in favour of Pant. More so, with Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz - two Pakistan spinners who Pant would favourably match-up against - picking seven wickets between them in the outing against Hong Kong, albeit at a different venue. If the management deem Karthik and his finishing indispensable at the moment, a way out could be to sacrifice a bowler - perhaps Avesh Khan - to fit both Pant and Karthik in the XI.
For Pakistan, it is take-two of finding a way to get the better of a familiar foe that enjoys an overwhelming record against them in the format. Pakistan bowlers hardly put a foot wrong in last Sunday's defeat to India, and now arrive with the batters, barring Babar Azam, too getting their fill of confidence from the outing against Hong Kong. They've already produced one of the closest India-Pakistan fixtures in recent times, and now, exactly a week later, are primed to produce a game that will live up to the heightened hype again.
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