IND vs PAK 12th Match Prediction

IND vs PAK Team Previews

India

India began as one of the favorites to lift the trophy and has started their campaign in style. After securing a hard-fought win against Australia in their opening fixture, they breezed through Afghanistan on Wednesday to make it two in two.

However, the pressure of playing against arch-rivals in front of a packed home crowd will bring in a different kind of pressure, the kind where the Men in Blue revel in.

India has been playing without its talismanic opener, Shubman Gill, who has been suffering from a bout of dengue and will in all likelihood miss Saturday’s match. Gill scored a brisk half-century in the team’s last encounter against Pakistan during the Asia Cup and his services will be thoroughly missed. 

Gill has travelled to Ahmedabad with the squad, and also had a net on Thursday but it is unlikely he will play.

However, India has plenty of batting firepower in its arsenal. Ishan Kishan, who has replaced Gill at the top of the order, has done well over the past few months and will be eager to extend his form. In addition, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul are all in good form.

The middle-order batting was a bit of a concern for India at the start of the tournament but with Shreyas Iyer getting some runs under his belt, the selectors will be confident of continuing with him. The Ahmedabad pitch may offer some good pace and bounce, which could be ideal for a player like Suryakumar Yadav.

As expected, Jasprit Bumrah has been the key bowler for India so far, picking up 6 wickets in 2 games. Mohammed Siraj and Hardik Pandya have been a bit expensive but it is just a matter of time before we see them at their best.

The spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav have picked up 3 wickets each and have been quite economical too. 

Pakistan

Just like India, Pakistan has won both its opening fixtures and will be eager to put up a good show. However, the team’s record against India hasn’t been the best when it comes to World Cup matches, and that will play at the back of their mind.

Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in a record run chase on Tuesday and that should have immensely boosted the team’s confidence ahead of this marquee event. What will be even more heartening for the team will be the fact that despite losing its key batsmen, Imam Ul-Haq and Babar Azam inside the first 10 overs, the team chased down a huge target of 345 runs.

Young Abdullah Shafique, who was playing only his 5th ODI, scored a brilliant century and stood steadfastly alongside Mohammad Rizwan, who played a masterclass remaining unbeaten on 131. Despite the win, Pakistan has plenty of issues to iron out before this weekend.

Imam and Babar haven’t been in the best of forms and the middle order too has failed to click more often than not. There is also a looming concern over the form of some of its bowlers, particularly Shaheen Shah Afridi, who hasn’t tasted much success in the two matches.

Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali have picked up 11 wickets between them and will look to make early inroads in the Indian batting line-up. Pakistan also lacks a quality spin attack. 

Pakistan is a stronger batting team than many expect and it also has a tremendous amount of depth. The bowling attack may not be as incisive as its fans would have hoped but the ability to lift their game and provide a blistering performance is well established. 

Going in as the underdog in a match against India is not unexpected. It could give Pakistan the freedom to play without fear and come out firing. As one of the top teams in the world, Pakistan should not be underestimated.