Asia Cup 2022 action-packed match between Pakistan and India will be played today at 7 pm (PST) at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Babar Azam doesn't want to be drawn into the hype of the last year's World Cup win. Skipper commented: "Honestly, that [last World Cup] game is a thing of the past now. It won't have an impact on Sunday's match. I am completely focused on tomorrow's game. The teams are kind of different, the conditions are different. Although as a side we are confident, we won't talk big ahead of the game. We wish to prove it on the field."
Rohit Sharma says India will keep experimenting in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup. Rohit said: “When there is an opportunity to try different combinations, we will try. Along the way, if we make mistakes or face difficulties, we're okay with that. We have spoken about it as a group, and there is nothing to fear."
Locals and cricket enthusiasts already arrived from near and far-flung destinations for the tournament. Cricket fans will attend the action-packed match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, while millions of fans are going to watch the match via digital streams.
Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Jr are out from the Pakistan squad, while the Indian side is playing the game without Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel.
The two teams are still tough competitors as both attempt to start the Asia Cup momentum on a winning streak despite the absence of superstars bowlers. This is the second time when two teams are facing each other after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup last year—that Pakistan won by historic 10 wickets.
India (probable): 1 KL Rahul 2 Rohit Sharma (capt) 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Hardik Pandya, 6 Rishabh Pant/Dinesh Karthik (wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 R Ashwin/Avesh Khan, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Arshdeep Singh
Pakistan (probable): 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 3 Fakhar Zaman, 4 Asif Ali, 5 Iftikhar Ahmed, 6 Khushdil Shah, 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Mohammad Nawaz/Usman Qadir, 9 Shahnawaz Dahani/Mohammad Hasnain, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Naseem Shah
Pitch and conditions
The World Cup last year and all the IPLs in the UAE, where matches began at 6pm, are a clear indicator that Dubai tilts the scales heavily in favour of the chasing side. There is some tackiness early on, and there is dew to contend with for only one side, as opposed to both teams in case of late starts. Other than that, keep an eye out for the oppressive heat. Even during the night, the temperatures are expected to hover around 35°C.
Stats and trivia
India lead Pakistan 8-5 on head-to-head in the Asia Cup, both formats put together. They are on a three-match winning streak.
This will be Kohli's 100th T20I, making him only the second player after Ross Taylor to play 100 international games in all three formats.
Pakistan's top seven is more or less settled, leaving some debate over the bowlers. With Shadab Khan being the vice-captain, it is unlikely they will be going for two wristspinners, so Mohammad Nawaz is likely to pip Usman Qadir. With Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah providing high pace, they could pick the control of Shahnawaz Dahani over Mohammad Hasnain.
India coach Dravid joins team ahead of match
India coach Rahul Dravid on Sunday rejoined his team in Dubai, after testing negative for Covid, just hours before their blockbuster opening Asia Cup clash against Pakistan.
Dravid, a batting great and former captain, tested positive for the virus just before the team's departure to the United Arab Emirates for the tournament, which is a warm-up for the T20 World Cup later this year in Australia.
VVS Laxman, who had joined the team as coach in place of Dravid, will return to Bangalore to oversee an India A programme, a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India said.
The arch-rivals will begin their campaign in a hotly-anticipated match at a venue where India were thrashed by Pakistan by 10 wickets in last year's T20 World Cup.
The match will be a landmark 100th Twenty20 international for India superstar Virat Kohli, who stepped down after the World Cup and who is under pressure because of an extended lean patch of batting form.