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Cricket fans will be in for a treat when India take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their match of the T20 World Cup on Sunday, October 23 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Both teams had also met during last year’s T20 World Cup in UAE, where Pakistan had registered a comprehensive 10-wicket win. India will be without their strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who won’t take part in the tournament due to a back issue. Pakistan, on the other hand, have been boosted by the return of star pacer Shaheen Afridi, who has recovered from a knee injury, having missed the Asia Cup last month.
Ahead of the clash, here are five player battles to watch out for:
1. Rohit Sharma vs Shaheen Afridi
There hasn’t been much discussion regarding Rohit Sharma’s form. The Indian skipper has struggled to score runs of late. Rohit will have to deal with the pace and swing of Shaheen, who dismissed him LBW during the last edition. However, Rohit enjoys a good record at major ICC events, and can punish any bowler on his day.
2. KL Rahul and Naseem Shah
KL Rahul’s recent form will be a big confidence booster for India after the batter had struggled to score runs at the Asia Cup. Just like Rohit, Rahul too was dismissed by Shaheen during the T20 World Cup, but that isn’t the only hurdle. Naseem, just like Shaheen, can be pretty lethal with the new ball, and also dismissed Rahul for a golden duck in the Asia Cup last month.
3. Virat Kohli vs Shadab Khan
Virat Kohli heads into the tournament with an array of decent knocks in the bag. The former India skipper has been batting with a lot of intent, despite his struggles against spin. Since Kohli has been struggling against leg spinners, facing Shadab could be a huge challenge.
4. Babar Azam vs Mohammad Shami
Pakistan captain Babar Azam was in top form before the Asia Cup. His form, however, has dipped slightly after the tournament last month. His battle against Mohammed Shami will be an interesting one. Shami has a good record while bowling in the powerplays, and Babar’s form will be key for Pakistan.
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5. Mohammad Rizwan and Arshdeep Singh
Currently the top-ranked T20I batter in the world, Rizwan’ form has been key for Pakistan at the top of the order. His battle with Arshdeep Singh could be key. Arshdeep bowls well with the new cherry, and has the ability to swing the ball both ways. If he can contain Rizwan in the powerplay, India might have the edge over Pakistan.
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