India and Pakistan will lock horns in the most awaited clash of the year in the Asia Cup on Wednesday in Dubai. While Pakistan are coming off an easy win against Hong Kong, India struggled against the same Associate Nations.
India and Pakistan will lock horns in the most awaited clash of the year in the Asia Cup on Wednesday in Dubai. While Pakistan are coming off an easy win against Hong Kong, India struggled against the same Associate Nations.
A complacent India survived a mighty scare before recording an unimpressive 26-run win over minnows Hong Kong in their opening group league match of the Asia Cup. In pursuit of a stiff 286-run target, unheralded Hong Kong opening pair of Nizakat Khan (92) and skipper Anshuman Rath (73) added a record 174-run partnership to raise the visions of a major upset before inexperience cost them dear as they managed 259 for eight.
Although India and Pakistan have qualified for the last four, their meeting on the international level still have a major significance and both the sides will want to put up a great performance and clinch a win. Keeping in mind, Pakistan's head to head lead of 19-6 against India in the UAE, Rohit Sharma and Co cannot take this match lightly.
Here are 5 fixes India need for their Pakistan clash:
1. Jasprit Bumrah in for Shardul Thaul
)
India certainly fielded a second-string side in their Asia Cup opener against Hong Kong. But, the player who might not find himself in the XI in the next game which is against Pakistan is Shardul Thakur. India must bring back rested Jasprit Bumrah in order to bring back the momentum. Thakur was the most expensive bowler of the lot, who leaked 41 runs in his quota of just four overs including the four no balls and one wide he had bowled. PC: PTI
2. India’s failure in scoring more during death overs is hurting them
)
The batsman who has been the most instrumental in the Indian team, Virat Kohli, has been rested for the Asia Cup. His absence will be a psychological boost for Pakistan, the team against whom Kohli has consistently performed well in the last couple of years. Meanwhile, the middle-order has continued to be vulnerable and that is hurting India a lot in the shorter format. They have regularly struggled to score runs in the death overs. Even against Hong Kong, they hardly managed some 40-odd runs in the last 10 overs and which is why they failed to reach 300. Had Hong Kong chased that down, the result would have been a massive embarrassment for the No. 2 side. PC: AFP
3. Bhuvi must step up
)
India managed to finally make a breakthrough only at 174 for 1 against Hong Kong and that was not something they wanted to face ahead of the Pakistan match. It was debutant Khaleel Ahmed who drew first blood, as other experienced bowlers in the team failed to step up. India’s ace pacer, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, has been struggling since the South Africa tour and even on Tuesday, he gave away 50 runs in 9 overs and failed to take a wicket. With Pakistan being a powerhouse of fast bowling, India would really need their pace fast bowler, Bhuvi, to step up. PC: PTI
4. India will need a solid start from Dhawan-Rohit
)
Now that Kohli is missing and the middle-order cannot be completely relied on, centurion Shikhar Dhawan and stand-in-skipper Rohit Sharma must have to take charge of the runs scoring. These two have delivered well against Pakistan in the past and India will be hopeful of the same on Wednesday. PC: AFP
5. Indian fielders will have to be more alert
)
While Hong Kong aced in all the departments – batting, bowling and fielding, the Indian team, which is considered to be one of the best fielding sides, was not at its best on the field. Indians cannot afford to repeat their sloppy fielding from their Hong Kong match on Wednesday because the current Pakistan side is far more dominant in all the departments and every life given to them will be proved harsh for India at the end. PC: AFP
