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Cricket PlayersIndia vs Pakistan, 2022 T20 World Cup: Shaheen vs Rohit, Suryakumar vs Nawaz - Key battles to watch out for in MCG tie
Ahead of the high-octane clash, we take a look at some of the key match-ups and battles which could decide the result of the India versus Pakistan clash...
We are a day away from the mouth-watering T20 World Cup contest between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, which is guaranteed to deliver some fireworks, with the match set to feature some of the world’s best T20I players in the world. It will be the third time the two teams will face each other after two encounters in the UAE last month in Asia Cup, where both teams won a match each. And if rain gods show mercy, amid reports on Melbourne weather for Sunday showing 70 to 90 per cent chances of rain, we might just get a full show of the most awaited game of the year. Ahead of the high-octane clash, we take a look at some of the key match-ups and battles which could decide the result of the India versus Pakistan clash...
Shaheen Afridi vs Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul
Indian openers' vulnerable against left-arm pacers is no secret and Pakistan exploited the very same when Shaheen was handed the new ball 12 months back in the Dubai clash in 2021 T20 World Cup. And it took him just seven deliveries to dismiss both Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in the powerplay. India failed to recover from the early blow as Pakistan had scripted a 10-wicket win.
On Sunday, this powerplay battle will play a huge role in deciding the winner. Should Rohit and Rahul negate the Shaheen threat, India could put on a challenging score.
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Arshdeep Singh
Teams in the T20I format depend a lot on the kind of start openers give and the momentum they create. For Pakistan, they depend a whole lot on their opening combination of Babar and Rizwan who are rather the backbone of their bowling.
India will rely a lot on Bhuvneshwar, their powerplay specialist, to get at least one of them back in the hut in the powerplay. India could also want to get in Arshdeep Singh with the new ball. Babar has been dismissed 12 times by the variety in the last two years, at a strike rate of just 133 in T20 cricket. Rizwan has been dismissed 15 times by the variety in the same period at a similar strike rate.
Suryakumar Yadav vs Mohammad Nawaz
Suryakumar is India's "x-factor" in the batting line-up. For Pakistan to have a chance in the match, they need to find the antidote for him and that will be Mohammad Nawaz's left-arm orthodox variety. Suryakumar has a strike rate of just 117 against the variery, the least he has against any bowling type in T20s in the last two years, while being dismissed eight times. Nawaz had in fact dismissed him last month in Asia Cup as well.
