New Delhi: With an impressive bowling arsenal and a resilient batting order, Pakistan presents a formidable challenge to India as they prepare for their second encounter in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023. The initial match between these two cricketing giants during the group stage ended without a result due to rain disruptions at the Pallekele International Stadium in Pallekele.
To prevent a repeat of the rain-affected outcome in Pallekele, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has taken precautions by scheduling a reserve day for the highly anticipated Super 4 showdown between India and Pakistan. In their previous meeting, Pakistan's renowned pace attack asserted dominance by wreaking havoc on India's top-order batsmen, leaving them struggling in overcast conditions in Pallekle.
While Shaheen Afridi continued his impressive run with the new ball, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah exhibited their fiery pace to consistently trouble the Indian batsmen. While the Pakistani pacers are eager to replicate their stellar performance, India needs to be wary of more than just their fast bowling when facing Pakistan at the R Premdasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.
Here are the Pakistani players that India should be cautious of in the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 clash:
Haris Rauf
Haris Rauf, the Pakistani speedster, has been in exceptional form with the ball throughout the tournament. Rauf is arguably one of the most consistent fast bowlers in white-ball cricket presently and possesses the ability to unsettle batsmen with his blazing pace. He consistently clocks speeds exceeding 140 kph and is a daunting prospect with the new ball.
In the previous encounter between the two arch-rivals, the right-arm pacer claimed three wickets, dismissing prominent Indian batsmen such as Ishan Kishan, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer. Indian batsmen must put up a better performance against him this time if they hope to have a chance in this high-profile contest.
Shaheen Shah Afridi
At present, there are few fast bowlers worldwide who can pose a greater threat with the new ball than Shaheen Shah Afridi. This left-arm pacer is a prolific wicket-taker during the early stages of an innings and has consistently troubled India's top-order batsmen in their recent encounters.
In the previous meeting between India and Pakistan in the group stages of the tournament, Afridi dismissed both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in consecutive overs, ultimately finishing with a four-wicket haul as India was bowled out for 266 runs. He was the chief architect of Pakistan's victory in the last game and could prove lethal once again with the new ball in the Super 4 clash against India on Sunday.
Mohammad Rizwan
Pakistan's world-class pace attack often overshadows their batting lineup, which has displayed resilience and excellence against India over the past few years. While captain Babar Azam has been the team's standout performer with the bat, Mohammad Rizwan has consistently stepped up in crisis situations and rescued Pakistan from seemingly impossible scenarios.
Rizwan has been the rock of Pakistan's white-ball batting lineup and has delivered consistently against arch-rivals India in high-pressure matches. He recently scored an unbeaten 63 against Bangladesh in Pakistan's Super Four opener and will aim to play another impactful innings against India in their second Super 4 match on Sunday.
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