In anticipation of the highly awaited cricket match between Pakistan and India, which took place last Saturday, the national team had revealed the lineup for the second Asia Cup 2023 encounter. The match was scheduled to kick off at the Pakelle Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Pakistan had taken to the field against India with an unchanged roster, identical to the one that had competed against Nepal in the initial Asia Cup match on the previous Wednesday in Multan. This previous match had concluded in a resounding victory for the home side.
Following the initial match, the national team had arrived in Kandy on Thursday.
During a press conference held on Friday, Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, had emphasized the home advantage that the Men in Green enjoyed against India in Sri Lanka. This advantage stemmed from their recent extensive cricket activities in the country.
It’s worth noting that Pakistan had become quite familiar with the conditions in Sri Lanka over the past two months. They had engaged in a Test series against the host team, followed by an ODI series against Afghanistan. Additionally, several players had participated in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) held in Sri Lanka.
“There was no pressure on us; on the contrary, we had the winning momentum, and our aim was to sustain it,” Babar stated.
He expressed that the entire squad was highly motivated, recognizing the significance of the Pakistan-India match as a marquee event.
“Across the globe, everyone eagerly anticipates this contest, and we were optimistic that it would be a compelling match,” he added.
The captain went on to emphasize their commitment to fielding the best XI and delivering strong performances throughout the continental cricketing tournament.
Babar also noted that while performances can sometimes fluctuate, the team had been consistently performing well for some time.
“We faced some challenges in the middle order initially, but I’m pleased to say that the middle order has stepped up,” he remarked.
The world had eagerly anticipated a blockbuster clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India, with a large contingent of fans descending upon the host city, Kandy, to witness this highly anticipated match.
Here’s the lineup for the match:
– Fakhar Zaman
– Imam-ul-Haq
– Babar Azam (c)
– Mohammad Rizwan
– Salman Agha
– Iftikhar Ahmed
– Shadab Khan (vc)
– Mohammad Nawaz
– Shaheen Shah Afridi
– Haris Rauf-
Naseem Shah
