'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Despite their five-wicket win over Pakistan in Match 2 of the 2022 Asia Cup, Team India would've known that they had no time to rest on their laurels. The format of the tournament meant that the arch-rivals were highly likely to face each other only a week after their first encounter, and the fixture came into being after Babar Azam's men hammered Hong Kong by 155 runs.
On Sunday, September 4, India and Pakistan will once again take centerstage again at the Dubai International Stadium. It might seem like there's not much to separate them on paper - the two teams have run-accumulators at the top of the order, dynamic players in the middle order and well-rounded bowling attacks. However, the context of their second meeting will be slightly different in the aftermath of everything that has happened in the Asia Cup over the last week.
Team India will now be without Ravindra Jadeja, who has suffered a knee injury. Now a left-hander short, the Men in Blue might be forced into picking Rishabh Pant since Axar Patel might not be able to play up the order like Jadeja did against Pakistan. The out-of-form Avesh Khan is reportedly unwell, and that could force Rohit Sharma into including an extra spinner. Azam has an injury to worry about too, with Shahnawaz Dahani set to miss the match.
India vs Pakistan clashes always bring with them a ton of hype, expectations and entertainment. While hype might be slightly on the lower side since the two teams met only a week ago, a blockbuster game in Dubai is all but guaranteed. Can Rohit and Co. make it two in two? Or will Pakistan exact their revenge?
Asia Cup 2022: India face selection dilemmas against dangerous Pakistan
India could choose between Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi to take Avesh's place in the playing XI, but a plethora of options are open. Deepak Hooda's part-time off-spin could be enough to qualify as a sixth bowling option, especially since Hardik Pandya is bowling like a dream and took a breather against Hong Kong.
It's in the batting lineup that India have some serious selection dilemmas. Do they use Axar Patel as a like-for-like Jadeja swap and refrain from making any other changes to the XI that took to the field against Pakistan? Would they consider dropping KL Rahul, who doesn't seem keen on scoring runs that will help the team? Is it time to shake up the opening combination and have either Virat Kohli or Rishabh Pant alongside Rohit?
One thing is for certain - India need left-handers to counter the threat of Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, especially since their current top three are particularly vulnerable against spin. If they play Pant, will Dinesh Karthik face the ax despite doing nothing wrong in the Asia Cup thus far? Rohit and the team management have a lot of questions on their hands, and that might not be ideal against a team as dangerous as Pakistan.
While Pakistan are dangerous, though, their approach to batting in the T20I format just isn't sustainable against quality opposition. Azam is yet to produce a knock of substance in the Asia Cup, but do the Men in Green really need two similar batters playing dots and rotating strike in the powerplay? With Iftikhar Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman not quite finding their timing yet, Pakistan's middle order wears an unstable look despite Khushdil Shah's pyrotechnics in the previous game.
The India vs Pakistan contest could come down to how India negotiate the threat of Nawaz and Shadab in the middle overs. If they manage to sneak in a couple of left-handers and find some boundaries during the toughest phase of the innings, they could well be on their way to consecutive victories over their arch-rivals.
It's almost always impossible to pick a winner in India vs Pakistan clashes. The former have had a couple of extra days of rest in the sapping UAE heat, and that could prove to be the difference-maker against a team that has struggled for fitness. While anything could happen on Sunday, the inaugural T20 World Cup champions are the marginal favorites.
Prediction: India to win Match 2 of the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup
