When India and Pakistan clash in the World Cup, excitement is guaranteed. Pakistan’s poor start in the USA adds even more drama to this highly anticipated game.
Match Details
India vs Pakistan
New York, 10.30am local time
Big Picture: Make-or-Nearly-Break for Pakistan
Once again, India and Pakistan meet in an ICC event, but this time, the stakes are even higher. The game is in New York, in a 34,000-seater stadium built in record time. The ICC hopes to showcase cricket’s intensity to the American audience. The crowd may not match Melbourne’s numbers, but the anticipation is palpable.
Pakistan’s recent meltdown against the USA in Dallas has added more context to this fixture. Babar Azam’s team needs a win to avoid relying on other results for Super Eights qualification. India, having already defeated Ireland, isn’t under similar pressure.
ALSO READ:Alcaraz, Zverev Gear Up for Thrilling Roland Garros Final
India has settled in New York, while Pakistan arrived only on Friday, facing a disrupted preparation. As usual, India appears stable while Pakistan faces uncertainty, setting the stage for an intense showdown.
Form Guide
India: WWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan: LLLWW
Pitch and Conditions: Which Pitch and How Will It Play?
The rapid construction of the New York stadium has led to substandard drop-in pitches. South Africa’s and India’s recent matches saw low scores and challenging conditions, with fast bowlers dominating. Pakistan and India might play on either pitch No. 2 or 4, both known for their unpredictable bounce and seam movement. The weather forecast suggests possible showers on Sunday morning.
Team News
India is likely to retain the same XI that defeated Ireland.
India (probable): Rohit Sharma (capt), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
Pakistan may include Imad Wasim, who missed the USA game due to injury. Azam Khan might be dropped.
Pakistan (probable): Mohammed Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (capt), Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Haris Rauf.
In the Spotlight
Babar Azam’s poor performance against the USA has put his leadership under scrutiny. A failure against India could escalate the pressure on him.
Shivam Dube, picked for his ability to handle spin, will face Pakistan’s formidable pace attack. His performance could silence critics regarding his fast-bowling capabilities.
Stats and Trivia
In New York’s first four T20 World Cup matches, fast bowlers have taken 45 wickets, with spinners taking only 10. Teams have heavily favored pace bowling at this venue.
Babar Azam has had mixed fortunes against India, with notable performances and failures. Virat Kohli, meanwhile, has a strong record against Pakistan’s bowlers.
Quotes
“This is the uniqueness of T20 cricket. Anything can happen anywhere. In the last World Cup, Pakistan lost to Zimbabwe. But eventually they played the final.”
— Rohit Sharma on the unpredictability of T20 cricket.
“It’s a big game, India-Pakistan. There’s no need for me to motivate the team anymore. They are well-motivated and focused. We have to forget about the last couple of days and move forward.”
— Head coach Gary Kirsten on motivating Pakistan’s team.
A venerable sports journalist boasting two decades of expertise. Renowned as a reliable authority in sports reporting, Khan’s meticulous approach shines through as he delves into the intricacies of NFL plays, dissects NHL strategies, unravels the finesse of soccer, and deciphers the tactics of basketball. With an unwavering commitment to storytelling, Khan invites you to join him in exploring the dynamic world of athletics, where his nuanced understanding of athletes, strategies, and narratives unfolds across the NFL, NHL, Football, Soccer, Basketball, and beyond.
