KANDY: Pakistan announced their Playing XI for the anticipated clash against arch-rivals India for the high-octane clash in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the unchanged lineup for the India fixture, which handed a 238-run thrashing to Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023 curtain raiser.
Pakistan to field same playing XI tomorrow 🇵🇰#PAKvIND | #AsiaCup2023 pic.twitter.com/qe18Ad6pF4
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 1, 2023
The lineup features Pakistan captain Babar Azam, his deputy Shadab Khan, Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.
The Asia Cup 2023 group-stage clash between Pakistan and India will mark the two team’s first faceoff in the ODI format since the 2019 World Cup, where the Men in Blue emerged triumphant.
However, cricket fans’ quest to see the high-octane clash on Saturday might get unsettled as dark clouds loom with rain likely to spoilsport in the anticipated Asia Cup 2023 clash.
According to BBC Weather, there is a very high chance of showers, as much as 80 per cent, in Kandy on Saturday, September 2.
Moreover, the BBC weather forecasts persistent and heavy rainfall throughout Saturday, meaning that the anticipated clash between arch-rivals could get washed out.
If the game gets washed out there is no reserved day for the match and thus both teams will split the points.
Notably, severe gusts are expected during the match, which may have an impact on the playing conditions and general atmosphere.
Moreover, the temperatures will range between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius during the game.
But, if the high-octane clash between Pakistan and India gets washed out on Saturday, cricket fans may get to witness the biggest rivalry of the sport again if the two teams manage to make it to the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s.
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are drawn in Group A alongside Nepal while Group B features Afghanistan, Bangladesh and defending champions Sri Lanka.
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