Picking the combined India and Pakistan XI from their Asia Cup 2023 squads ft. Virat Kohli and Babar Azam

The day is finally here - India and Pakistan will play their first ODI in four years when they walk out for their Asia Cup 2023 clash at the Pallekele International Stadium on Saturday.

While a rain threat looms over this contest, there is no denying that the buzz and anticipation is as palpable as it can be for an India-Pakistan clash alone. The two teams met thrice last year - albeit in T20Is - with each of those games going down to the wire across the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup.

A win for Pakistan will secure their passage into the Super Four stage, leaving India in must-win territory in their final Group A fixture against Nepal. If both teams qualify, they will meet again in Colombo on September 10.

Clearly, there is plenty riding on this contest and it is one that will have the attention of fans around the world upon it alone.

With the clock steadily ticking towards the game, let's pick a combined India-Pakistan XI from their Asia Cup 2023 squads:

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Openers - Rohit Sharma (c) and Imam-ul-Haq

A left-right opening combination headlines this combined playing XI with Imam-ul-Haq partnering Rohit Sharma up top. Both batters boast an excellent record in the 50-over format, with Imam tallying 2889 runs in 63 ODIs at an average of over 50 and Rohit amassing 9837 runs at an average of 48.69, including three double-hundreds.

This combination covers most matchups with two of the most consistent batters in the format in the modern-day set to bring the same to this XI. Rohit will also be the skipper of the side.

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Middle order - Babar Azam, Virat Kohli, and Mohammad Rizwan (wk)

Babar Azam and Virat Kohli's prowess as all-format batters needs no reiteration. Their numbers say it all and while one can keep drawing comparisons, the fact that they both ought to walk into most ODI XIs today makes them obvious picks in this one too.

Mohammad Rizwan pips KL Rahul as the wicketkeeper on the basis of the latter being unavailable for the first two matches. Rizwan's ODI record has been modest by his standards, averaging 34.27 after 56 innings in the format but he certainly brings stability to the middle order.

The sight of Kohli and Rizwan running hard between the wickets in a parallel universe is a treat for sore eyes, isn't it?

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All-rounders - Hardik Pandya and Shadab Khan

A pace-bowling all-rounder and a spinning all-rounder give this playing XI plenty of options to work with. It so happens that the vice-captains of the two sides at the Asia Cup 2023, Hardik Pandya and Shadab Khan, walk-in as the all-rounders even as Ravindra Jadeja is an unfortunate miss.

Hardik averages 33.32 with the bat in ODIs while striking at an outstanding rate of 112.04, besides accounting for 73 wickets at 38.07 apiece. Shadab has been more of a bowling all-rounder, bagging 81 wickets at 30.92 apiece with his wrist-spin bowling besides averaging 27.88 with the bat.

Shadab brings with him the advantage of being able to move up the batting order as a spin-hitter while Pandya's power-hitting at the death backs him as a finisher.

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Bowlers - Shaheen Afridi, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj

The bowling attacks that both India and Pakistan have put out for Asia Cup 2023 make us spoilt for choice in narrowing it down to just four. Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah were unfortunate misses but that's the quality of the options at disposal across the two sides.

Shaheen Afridi will take the new ball, bringing his lethal left-arm inswingers into play. He boasts of an enviable ODI record, having picked up 78 wickets from 39 innings at 23.09 apiece.

The Indian duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will partner Shaheen in the pace department. While Bumrah is arguably the best fast bowler in the world at present - his ODI bowling average reads 24.31 - Siraj is ranked fourth in the ICC Player Rankings for the format. The Hyderabad-born pacer has 43 wickets to his name in 24 outings in the format, averaging just under 21 per wicket.

Kuldeep Yadav joins Shadab to form a twin wrist-spin combination. The left-arm spinner has been in outstanding form over the last year or so having worked on his control and pace. He is beyond doubt a match-winner in the format, striking once every 30.8 deliveries after 82 ODI innings in which he has picked up 141 wickets.

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Combined India-Pakistan XI for Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma (c), Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Virat Kohli, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

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Who among India and Pakistan are the favorites to go the distance at the Asia Cup 2023? Have your say in the comments section below!

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