India selected three quicks in the squad for the event, with Shami being picked alongside Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, with the additional option of Prasidh Krishna. While their skills are unquestionable, the three fast bowlers collectively average 7.81 with the bat. Picking all three in the XI together, with spinner Kuldeep Yadav, with a batting average of 11.71, playing as well, drastically reduces India’s batting depth, with No.8-11 offering little resistance.

In a bid to add a cushion to their batting, India went ahead with Thakur against Pakistan, favouring him over Shami. Thakur has played a number of handy cameos in the past across formats and averages 18.52 with the bat with one fifty in ODIs. However, he averages 29.17 with the ball, with an economy rate of 6.16 and is often used as a middle-overs enforcer by the side.

Shami, on the other hand, has been a consistent performer for India and has the best ODI bowling average among all India bowlers with at least 150 wickets.

With rain predicted throughout match day on Saturday (September 2) in Kandy, the decision to drop Shami was criticised by Manjrekar, who felt the seamer would have received more assistance from the wicket due to the overcast conditions. The expert aired his disappointment on Star Sports, moments after the line-up was declared.

“We were hearing murmurs about it that India wanted a little more batting depth and that’s why Thakur is in,” Manjrekar said. “I am slightly against this thought because people talk about batting depth but no one talks about bowling depth. Now is Shami more of a threat against Pakistani batters or Thakur? I wouldn’t worry about batting depth.

“I mean someone even like a Shami, especially on a surface like this, where we are seeing the ball seam around, India should have gone with three quality seamers – Bumrah, Shami and Siraj, just like Pakistan will too. This batting depth thing – it just shows signs of insecurity. You got to trust your batters – Jadeja is batting at seven. I think that is enough batting. Talk about bowling depth for a change.”

Pakistan, on the other hand, have selected Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi as their three fast bowlers.