 "India vs Pakistan World Cup 2023: Top five player battles to watch out for")
When India and Pakistan clash on Saturday, October 14, 2023, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, tempers will run high, and players will eye personal milestones. However, that would not be above the collective war cry of a World Cup win in a match, which could probably make or break the entire campaign of both the teams. Here are the top five player battles to look out for.
Virat Kohli vs Haris Rauf
Virat Kohli has a special place in his heart for Pakistan bowlers, as he always performs well against Pakistan. However, he failed in the first match of the Asia Cup where he got out to Shaheen Afridi. Kohli came back later on and smashed an unbeaten 122 against the Men in Green to take India to a huge total, which eventually was too high for the Pakistan side.
Haris Rauf was brilliant in the first match of the Asia Cup against India as he picked up 3/58. Based on his raw pace, Rauf was able to bounce out players. The biggest battle between Kohli and Rauf was in the 2022 T20 World Cup where Kohli hit the now iconic forehand pull for a six over mid-off. It’s World Cup again and both the champion players would look to outperform each other at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad come October 14, 2023.
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Shaheen Afridi vs Rohit Sharma
This battle might decide who takes the upper hand in the game. The image of Rohit’s off-stump cartwheeling will still be fresh in the memories of the cricket lovers from Pallekele as Afridi was at his lethal best after the rain break interruptions in the Asia Cup match. Rohit did come back well in the Super Four match and smashed the Pakistani speedster.
Earlier, when India and Pakistan met in the 2021 T20 World Cup, Shaheen got the better of Rohit. However, the Indian skipper did well against him in the 2022 T20 World Cup. So it’s two -all and the bragging rights between them will be up for grabs in Motera.
Babar Azam vs Kuldeep Yadav
Check ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 full schedule here
Babar Azam has not been in a good touch ever since the Asia Cup, and there could be no better place and occasion than against India in India for him to come back in form. However, he would be up against his nemesis, Kuldeep Yadav. Though Babar has faced the Indian Chinaman in just four matches, Kuldeep has been able to get the better of him on two occasions.
Kuldeep even took a five-wicket haul the last time he bowled against Pakistan, and hence, he would be a firm favourite to get Babar out again.
Hardik Pandya vs Mohammad Rizwan
Hardik Pandya got Mohammad Rizwan twice in the 2022 T20 Asia Cup. Pandya and his short bowling approach have been key to his success against the Pakistan wicket-keeper batter, and once again, he would look to tackle him in a similar fashion. Rizwan, though, would be coming on the back of a superb match-winning century against Sri Lanka and hence, he might have the upper hand in this battle.
Hasan Ali vs Mohammed Siraj
It is not basically a player vs player battle as such. It is more of a player being able to sustain himself in the playing 11. This is a battle for survival to be precise. Hasan got a second chance due to an unfortunate injury to Naseem Shah. He has done well so far to pick up six wickets from two games in the 2023 World Cup. Siraj on the other hand was hammered by Afghanistan and didn’t really have a great showing against Australia.
Also Read: World Cup 2023: Glittering ceremony to kick-start IND-PAK game in Ahmedabad
Also Read: World Cup 2023: Glittering ceremony to kick-start IND-PAK game in Ahmedabad
Hasan Ali got out of the team after his horrific showing against Australia in the 2021 T20 World Cup semi-final, and now he will have the chance to come back when he plays yet another big World Cup game, probably the biggest of his career against India. Siraj would look for a good game otherwise, Mohammed Shami is waiting in the wings for a place in the Indian playing 11.