India will take on Pakistan On Saturday, September 2, 2023, at 3:00 IST/ 5:30 AM ET, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy will host the inaugural Asia Cup 2023 match of India against Pakistan. Disney+Hotstar will broadcast the game live. Since India’s victory at the 2019 World Cup, neither team has faced the other in an ODI match. They engaged in a T20 contest in between. Both teams recently competed in a T20 World Cup encounter in Australia last year, which India also won.
The India vs Pakistan match is one of the most anticipated matches in cricket. The two teams have a long and storied rivalry, and the matches between them are always closely contested. The match is expected to be a high-scoring affair, with both teams having strong batting line-ups. The bowling attacks will be key, and the team that can take early wickets will be in a good position to win.
India vs Pakistan Match Preview
There are several reasons why India are the favourites to win this match. India’s batting unit is well-balanced, with Rohit Sharma batting at the top of the order, followed by Kohli, who is one of the best ODI batsmen in the world right now. Both Rohit and Kohli have the ability to score big runs and give India a good start.
India’s bowling attack is comprised of the world’s top-ranked ODI wicket-takers in Bumrah and Shami, as well as the fourth-ranked Siraj. Both of them possess the ability to take wickets in a variety of conditions and are expected to provide a formidable challenge to the Pakistan batting line-up.
India has a variety of other talented batters in addition to Sharma and Kohli. Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shubman Gill are all capable of tallying significant hundreds. With one of the most balanced batting lineups in the globe, India will be optimistic about hitting a high total in the game.
Additionally, the Indian bowling assault is excellent. The two primary bowlers are Bumrah and Shami, although they are backed up by a number of other seasoned bowlers, including Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja. The Indian bowlers will want to keep Pakistan’s score low because they have the ability to take wickets in any circumstance.
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— BCCI (@BCCI) September 2, 2023
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On the other hand, Pakistan are the underdogs, but they have a good batting line-up as well. They are led by Babar Azam, who is the world’s number one ranking ODI batsman currently. Azam is in excellent form and will be looking to lead Pakistan to victory.
Other key batsmen in the Pakistan line-up include Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, and Mohammad Rizwan. These batsmen are all capable of scoring big runs and they will be looking to put pressure on the Indian bowlers.
The Pakistan bowling attack is also decent. Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah are the two main bowlers, but they are supported by a number of other experienced bowlers, such as Haris Rauf, Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan. The Pakistan bowlers will need to be at their best if they are to restrict India to a low total.
Team News
India will have to make tough decisions. If they opt to go with Thakur in the middle order to extend the batting cover, it will leave just two places for the top-order seamers (provided Kuldeep is a shoo-in). In this case, it is likely that Bumrah will be paired with Mohammed Siraj ahead of Shami and Krishna.
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— BCCI (@BCCI) September 1, 2023
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India vs Pakistan Squad : Probable Line-up
India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 Ishan Kishan (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Shardul Thakur/Mohammed Shami, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Jasprit Bumrah
Pakistan announced an unchanged XI on Friday evening.
Pakistan: 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Babar Azam (capt), 4 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 5 Agha Salman, 6 Iftikhar Ahmed, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Naseem Shah, 11 Haris Rauf
The Pitch Conditions on the Day of the Match.
The pitch will be fresh, but if it plays like it did in the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh match, with assistance for both spinners and seamers, good luck for the batsmen. However, there is a good chance of rain from the early morning to the late afternoon, which may delay the start of the match.
The Toss
The toss will be important in the match. If India win the toss, they will likely bat first and try to score a big total. If Pakistan win the toss, they may choose to bowl first and try to restrict India to a low total.
The Weather
The weather is also a factor to consider. The match is scheduled to be played in Kandy, Sri Lanka. The weather in Kandy is usually good for cricket, However, there is a good chance of rain from the early morning to the late afternoon, which may delay the start of the match. but there is a 67% chance of rain. If it rains, the match may be shortened or even abandoned.
The match between India and Pakistan is set to start at 3 pm IST, and it looks like it’s going to rain a lot during the day. The chances of rain are pretty high at :
- 3 pm: 58%
- 5 pm: 34%
- 7 pm: 60%
- 9 pm: 60%
Kandy weather forecast: What happens if rain stops India vs Pakistan?
In the event that the match is cancelled due to rain, both teams will have to share a point and Pakistan will be qualified for the Super Four phase.
Pakistan will progress to the knockout stage after winning their first match by 238 runs against Nepal.
The Verdict
I believe that India will win the match. They have a stronger batting line-up and a better bowling attack than Pakistan. However, the match is sure to be close and exciting. I am looking forward to it!
How to watch India vs Pakistan in Asia Cup?
| Country Of Broadcast | TV Channel | Livestream |
| India | Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports 2 | Disney+Hotstar |
What time does India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 match start ?
AT 3:00pm India/ 5:30am ET