Melbourne is prepared to host this year’s biggest clash as India will lock horns against Pakistan on October 23. India and Pakistan are drawn in group B, alongside South Africa and Bangladesh, with two more teams joining them after the first round.
The last time these two countries met was in the Asia Cup. They played two matches, and both won one each.
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the upcoming spectacle, and around 1 lakh people will attend the match. The article will preview the forthcoming Indo-Pak tie with details about the venue, weather, squad, and prediction on who will win. India or Pakistan?
Venue
Date- October 23, 2022
Time- 1.30 pm (IST)
Venue- Melbourne cricket ground, Australia
Weather
The bad news for cricket fans is that a rain threat looms over Melbourne on the day of the match. As per weather reports, there is around a 70-80% chance that it might rain on matchday. Thus, the probability of the match getting shortened or abandoned due to rain is high.
To comment on which side has a better chance of winning the forthcoming tie, we should compare the different departments of both teams to pass on a verdict.
Openers
It is a no-brainer that Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are better performing opening pair than Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. Despite Babar and Rizwan failing as an opening pair in the Asia Cup, they have struck four fifty-plus scores and stitched one hundred and double hundred stand.
On the other hand, Rohit and Rahul have crossed the fifty-plus figure just twice this year. Thus, Rizwan and Babar are likely to cause more damage to the Indian team than Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul to Pakistan.
India – 0 Pakistan – 1
Middle-order batsmen
Pakistan’s middle order has been its biggest concern in recent times. On the other hand, India’s strongest link in the current lot is its middle-order line-up. Unlike Asia Cup, Virat Kohli has regained his lost mojo. Suryakumar Yadav is the second leading run-scorer in 2022 in T20Is, while Hardik Pandya has proved to be India’s most valuable asset since the 2022 IPL.
Pakistan have made a few changes to their squad from the Asia Cup, with Shan Masood coming into the team. The only bankable player in Pakistan’s middle order is Asif Ali, known for his power-hitting. But still, it doesn’t make their middle order better than India’s.
India – 1 Pakistan – 1
All-round abilities
Like Asia Cup, India misses out on Ravindra Jadeja’s services due to an injury he sustained in the continental cup. Axar Patel has been included in the side to emulate Jadeja’s role and stunned everyone, including the Aussies, with a power-packed bowling display in the recently concluded T20I series. Thus, India would be looking to ride on Patel and their star all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s all-round prowess in Australia.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s most bankable all-rounder is Shadab Khan, who has immensely contributed to the team. Apart from Nawaz, another all-rounder who enjoyed success against India recently is Mohammad Nawaz. The 28-year-old picked four wickets and scored 43 runs against India in two matches in the Asia Cup. Thus, both teams have equal match-winning all-rounders, and neither of the two sides outweighs the other in this department.
India – 1 Pakistan -1
Bowling department
There is a floor gap between India’s bowling prowess in the World Cup, compared to the Men in Green. Pakistan have Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Wasim. Whereas India entered the tournament with one of the weakest bowling units.
Rohit Sharma is missing Jasprit Bumrah, who sits out with a back injury. Harshal Patel is leaking runs, while death bowling has been a big worry for the team since the Asia Cup. The only hope for India is Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami.
India – 1 Pakistan- 2
After accessing all the departments, Babar Azam led side outweighs India in most areas, but apart from these factors, the team needs to absorb the pressure well to outdo India. Otherwise, India are a better team in under-pressure games and can beat Pakistan despite being weak in several departments.
Probable line-ups
India
- Rohit Sharma
- KL Rahul
- Virat Kohli
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Hardik Pandya
- Dinesh Karthik
- Axar Patel
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Mohammed Shami
Pakistan
- Babar Azam
- Mohammad Rizwan
- Fakhar Zaman
- Shan Masood
- Shadab Khan
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Asif Ali
- Shaheen Afridi
- Haris Rauf
- Naseem Shah
- Mohammad Wasim
Squads
India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood