World Cup 2023: Pakistan’s expected playing XI against India

WEB DESK: The Pakistan Cricket Team is likely to make changes in its playing XI in the highly anticipated ICC World Cup match between Pakistan and India, scheduled to be played on October 14 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Pakistan’s expected playing XI against India:

According to Indian news outlet Zee News the established opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq has been consistently struggling. In the recent Sri Lanka match, Pakistan decided to drop Fakhar from the lineup, a move that proved effective as his replacement, Abdullah Shafique, impressively notched a century during a challenging chase. It’s likely that Shafique will retain his place. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if Captain Babar Azam contemplates including Fakhar in the playing XI while sidelining Imam. This is because Fakhar possesses explosive batting capabilities and a stronger track record against India.

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Another potential alteration Pakistan may consider is dropping Mohammad Nawaz, the left-arm spin bowling all-rounder, and instead opting for either Mohammad Wasim Jr or leg-spinner Usama Mir, depending on the prevailing match conditions.

India’s expected playing XI against Pakistan

India is likely to stick with the same playing XI from the previous match, with the only possible alteration being the Shardul Thakur-R Ashwin swap, a decision influenced by the prevailing match conditions. Many Indian fans are eagerly anticipating the return of Shubman Gill, who had been receiving treatment for dengue in Chennai and has now travelled to Ahmedabad. However, his inclusion in the lineup for the Pakistan match remains uncertain.