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The most anticipated clash of the 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup, India vs Pakistan, is all set to take place at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
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This will be the two teams’ third meeting in ODIs in over a month, after having faced off in the 2023 Asian Cup twice in September.
While their group stage game was washed out due to rain in Pallekele, after India posted 266, the Men in Blue went onto thump Pakistan by 228 runs in the Super Four stage, following centuries from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, and a five-fer from Kuldeep Yadav.
A run-fest can be expected when the two teams meet on the global stage on Saturday. Pakistan will be eager for revenge not just because of their Asia Cup defeat, but also given the fact that they are winless against India in seven meetings in the World Cup.
There will be a few player battles to keep an eye on in the game. Rohit Sharma and Kohli are in top form and they will be up against the likes of Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, who can be dangerous on their day.
Let’s now take a look at four player battles that could define the India vs Pakistan game:
Rohit vs Shaheen
India skipper Rohit Sharma has struggled against Shaheen Shah Afridi’s left-arm pace in the few outings the two teams have had in recent times.
Shaheen rattled Rohit’s off stump in their first Asia Cup match in Pallekele last month when the opener’s lack of footwork saw him bowled for 11.
The duel began at the T20 World Cup in 2021 when Shaheen trapped Rohit lbw for a duck in the first over in Dubai with his pace and swing.
But Rohit came back prepared when the rivals next met in Colombo and remained cautious against the quick despite hitting a six off his first over.
Kohli vs Rauf
The stakes were high when Virat Kohli came up against Haris Rauf in a challenging chase at the T20 World Cup in Melbourne last year.
India needed 31 off the last 18 balls while chasing 160 when Kohli held his nerve to smash Rauf for two sixes to bring the house down at a packed MCG.
The first was a length ball which Kohli dispatched straight down the ground and he flicked the next to over fine-leg en route to victory.
Kohli later said the sixes were “instinctive”, but it began a great battle with the Pakistan quick which awaits another showdown in Ahmedabad.
Azam vs Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah experienced the Pakistan captain’s ability at the 2021 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Azam took on the Indian attack including Bumrah, a yorker king, with ease as he and Mohammad Rizwan steered the team to a 10-wicket victory in Dubai.
But two years later Bumrah and company seemed to have learnt their lessons when they bowled out Pakistan for 128 in a crushing 228-run win in an Asia Cup Super Four clash.
Form is also on Bumrah’s side, having taken four wickets against Afghanistan on Wednesday.
🇮🇳💙 #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/6qiStKPfHx
— Jasprit Bumrah (@Jaspritbumrah93) October 11, 2023
Bumrah beat the bat of Azam on a few occasions in Colombo before Hardik Pandya got the prized wicket.
Iftikhar vs Kuldeep
Iftikhar Ahmed is a middle-order batsman who can play anchor or go after the bowling with equal ease but at the Asia Cup last month, India spinner Kuldeep Yadav cut short the batsman’s knock, taking a smart catch off his own bowling.
Kuldeep, a left-arm wrist spinner, claimed 5-25 in that game as India claimed a 228-run win.
Iftikhar’s task on Saturday will be to tackle the spinners in the middle overs and also accelerate the scoring.
With inputs from AFP
English (US)