In a highly anticipated clash at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday, September 10, 2023, Pakistan, led by the dynamic Babar Azam, has unveiled its formidable Playing XI for the upcoming Super Four match against arch-rivals India. This meeting follows their earlier group-stage encounter at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, in which rain unfortunately played spoilsport and ended without a result.
Babar Azam's chosen eleven to take the field against India includes Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar, Salman Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf are the 11 chosen to take the field against India on Sunday.
Recalling their recent encounter in the continental tournament, India had won the toss and elected to bat first, but rain interruptions disrupted the match. Shaheen Shah Afridi emerged as Pakistan's standout performer, wreaking havoc by dismissing Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja. His remarkable spell resulted in figures of 4 for 35.
This encounter also marked its name in history as the first instance in Asia Cup history where pacers claimed all ten wickets in a match. Apart from Shaheen's superb performance, Naseem Shah contributed with 3 wickets for 36 runs, and Haris Rauf added 3 wickets for 58 runs. Pakistan's pursuit of a target of 267 was cut short by rain, preventing the match from reaching its conclusion.
As the two cricketing giants prepare to face off once more, India faces the formidable challenge of combating Pakistan's potent fast-bowling attack, particularly during the early overs. The clash promises to be a thrilling showdown, eagerly awaited by fans around the world.
