New Delhi: India-Pakistan clash is expected to be a high-octane game with emotions, fans and history poring in. With a lot of news and social media trends around the game, the hype is real. The Asian giants are facing each other in a T20I after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where Pakistan defeated India.
With all the data, reports, statements and practice session clips we have, here is an analysis of who has the real edge. Honestly, both of the teams look strong and there is a strong chance that they will be facing each other in the finals, but one cannot underestimate the other four teams for sure. India is currently ranked at the top in the MRF Tyres ICC T20 Rankings, while Pakistan is at number 3 just nine points behind India.
This year India has won 16 out of the 21 T20I games and has not lost a series. Meanwhile, Pakistan has played just one T20I in 2022 so far and lost that against Australia.
India’s squad analysis
Taking a look at the Indian squad, a name that has impressed everyone and has climbed to the second spot in the batters’ ranking is Suryakumar Yadav. Taking a look at his numbers, he has scored 672 runs in 21 innings at a strike rate of 175.45. Most importantly, though he has played at different positions, he looks like India’s strong number 4 batter. With Rohit, Rahul and Kohli, India’s top order looks set, but they have played a few games together lately. While India seems to rely on the middle order services of Suryakumar, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant.
Another question here is that does Dinesh Karthik, one of the best T20 finishers at the moment, has a place in the playing XI as Pant fills in the spot of the wicketkeeper and Ravindra Jadeja comes at number 7 as an all-rounder, the management has to see which is the combination they want to try. It might happen that Karthik comes as the wicketkeeper and Pant sits out, as Pant also missed the first-day training session while Karthik faced the pacers to prepare for the death overs.
With Bumrah and Harshal Patel missing out due to injury, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh will take the lead. Arshdeep made his T20I debut last month and has taken nine wickets in six games since then. He began his career with the figures of 2/18 against power-hitters from England. Both Bhuvi and Arshdeep can swing the ball and with pace balling by Hardik Pandya, India’s second-best pace attack still looks lethal. Yuzvendra Chahal seems to be back in form, but he needs to be accurate and fearless, which he mostly is, against big hits by Babar, Rizwan and Asif Ali.
Pakistan’s squad analysis
Babar Azam, the number one T20I batter is leading the side. In the last Indo-Pak encounter, Babar and Mohammad Rizwan finished the game without losing a wicket and this tells a lot about the pair. Meanwhile, Asif Ali said that he hits 100-150 sixes daily to practice for big hits in the match. With Fakhar Zaman adding balance in the middle order, Pakistan’s batting lineup looks quite strong.
With Shaheen Shah Afridi ruled out due to injury and Mohammad Wasim having scans for his back pain, Pakistan’s pace attack looks in a bit of trouble. Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah are Pakistan’s young guns the team is backing on, but in reality, they look dependent on Usman Qadir’s leg break as the pace attack lacks experience. However, Pakistan has a history of bringing up young pacers and destroying the opposition, so the fans are in for a treat for sure.
Conclusion
India needs to hold the top three tight while the middle order can smash it. While Pakistan has a young but lethal bowling attack whose performance is really unpredictable. Meanwhile, India’s not the best bowling line-up takes on one of the strongest batting line-ups in the world at the moment, Bhuvi and Chahal need to stand up and show their experience. In conclusion, it will be a tough fight on August 28 and fans are in for a thrilling encounter.
