India and Pakistan are set to clash in the first match of Group 2 of the Super 12 of the 2022 T20 World Cup, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23.
Rohit Sharma will lead India, and is almost certain to open batting with vice-captain KL Rahul. Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav, in that order, are likely to complete the top four, with Deepak Hooda as the backup batter. With his all-round skills, Hardik Pandya will add balance to the side with his abilities to cut loose at No.5, bowl his full quota of overs, and field brilliantly at most places.
Dinesh Karthik’s ability to hit in the death overs may make him the wicketkeeper of choice, though India may bring in Rishabh Pant as the lone left-hander. If they do not pick Pant, they may float their other southpaw, Axar Patel, up the order. In Axar, R Ashwin, and Yuzvendra Chahal, they have a fantastic trio of spinners to choose from. The seam attack consists of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, and – as a result of Jasprit Bumrah’s last-minute injury – Mohammed Shami.
Pakistan are set to open with Babar Azam and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, with a long string of batters – Shan Masood, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Asif Ali – to choose from. Their strength, however, lies in their all-rounders: vice-captain Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz.
Shadab and Nawaz are also likely to form their spin attack, for they replaced the injured leg-spinner Usman Qadir with Fakhar, a batter. Pakistan’s strength, however, lies in pace: they already had Naseem Shah, Mohammad Wasim, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Hasnain, and now Shaheen Shah Afridi has returned to spearhead their attack.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul (vc), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh. Injured: Jasprit Bumrah.
Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Shan Masood, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain. Injured: Usman Qadir.
