The long-anticipated India vs Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2023 is finally set to unfold at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Saturday, September 2. India's skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat first, setting the stage for an electrifying encounter.
India vs Pakistan: Playing XIs
Rohit Sharma has reintroduced Shreyas Iyer into the playing XI following his injury recovery, with Shardul Thakur also making the cut to bolster the batting depth. "We can't control the weather, but we're focused on playing quality cricket against quality opposition in this prestigious tournament," Rohit Sharma stated at the toss.
On the other side, Pakistan has already made waves with a resounding win over Nepal in their Asia Cup 2023 opener. Babar Azam's scintillating 151 off 131 balls against Nepal has set high expectations for his performance in the upcoming IND vs PAK clash. Hence, they go into the match with an unchanged XI.
India XI
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan(wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
Pakistan XI
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
Pallekele Pitch Report: A spinner's paradise
The pitch at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium is known to favour batters initially but turns into a spinner-friendly surface as the game advances. Fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Shaheen Afridi may not find much assistance from the pitch. With rain on the horizon, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method could be a game-changer.
Both teams have announced their playing XIs, and all eyes are on key players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, and Ishan Kishan. With the IND vs PAK venue being the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and unpredictable IND vs PAK weather, the match promises to be a nail-biter.
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