CHRIS DHAMBARAGE
COLOMBO – In a highly anticipated Super 4 Asia Cup showdown, Pakistan captain Barbar Azam won the toss and elected to field first against their fierce rivals India at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.
The decision to field first was influenced by the prevailing moisture in the pitch, a factor that could make conditions challenging for the batsmen.
Pakistan, coming off a strong performance in the tournament, seemed confident in their abilities and were keen to maintain their consistency in the crucial encounter against India.
On the other side, Indian skipper Rohith Sharma revealed that they would have chosen to bat first if they had won the toss. Sharma acknowledged the challenge posed by Pakistan’s bowlers and emphasized the importance of putting up a competitive total on the board.
Sharma also noted the return of star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah to the playing XI and the inclusion of KL Rahul, who replaced Shreyas Iyer in the lineup. These changes reflected India’s strategy to strengthen their bowling and batting departments for the pivotal encounter.
The clash between Pakistan and India is not only a battle for supremacy but also a crucial fixture in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup.
The teams
India Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Pakistan Playing XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.
Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (AUS) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
TV Umpire: Richard Illingworth (ENG)
Reserve Umpire: Masudur Rahman (BAN)
Match Referee: David Boon (AUS)
