T20 World Cup 2021: Group 2 India vs Pakistan Predicted Playing 11

India vs Pakistan: Second spinner spot in focus as we look at the predicted playing 11 for Team India for T20 World Cup 2021. 

It’s been almost 5 years and 7 months since India and Pakistan last met in a World Cup as well as a T20I match. Regarded as the Mother of all Cricket matches, both teams would kick-off their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign facing each other; just as they did in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007.

Historically, India and Pakistan have met 8 times in T20 Internationals with India winning 6 times, Pakistan winning once, and 1 match being ended as a Tie. In T20 World Cups, India have a superior record winning 4 encounters and 1 being ended as a Tie; although India won that match in a bowl out.

From the batting and bowling stats perspective, Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer between both teams with 254 runs from 6 innings. He also has the highest average at 84.7.  Whereas Umar Gul from Pakistan is the leading wicket-taker with 11 wickets from 6 innings at an average of 16.2

The World Cup 2021 encounter will be the first T20I encounter between both the teams in UAE, and an epic contest is expected on the cards. On that note, let’s look at the predicted playing 11 for Group 2 India vs Pakistan match for T20 World Cup 2021. Before that let’s quickly skim through the official squad for Team India.

T20 World Cup 2021 – Official Squad for Team India: 

Batsmen: Ishan Kishan (WK), KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav & Virat Kohli

All-rounders: Hardik Pandya & Ravindra Jadeja

Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur & Varun Chakravarthy

Reserves: Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer & Deepak Chahar 

Mentor: MS Dhoni // Captain: Virat Kohli // Vice-captain: Rohit Sharma

Match Details:

Tournament: ICC T20 World Cup 2021

Type: Group 2 – India vs Pakistan

Where: Dubai // When: 7:30 pm IST.

Openers: Rohit Sharma & KL Rahul

Ishan Kishan looked in stunning form in the first warm-up match as he smashed an unbeaten half century. But Team India shall look no beyond Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul as their first-choice opening pair. Both are world-class openers, and are also coming off a good warm-up match performance. 

Middle-order: Virat Kohli (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav & Hardik Pandya

While Ishan Kishan played well as an opener, he could also be utilized in the middle order. But seeing the return in form of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, Team India would like to rest Ishan Kishan for the first match. That means, Captain Virat Kohli should continue at 3 followed by left-handed Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya. 

The role of finishers, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya shall be crucial for Team India to go a long way. While Group stage matches won’t bother India much, their biggest worry shall be how they manage the knock-out pressure, which hasn’t been good as seen in the last few ICC tournaments. 

Spinners: Ravindra Jadeja & Ravichandran Ashwin

The biggest question for Team India shall be the choice of the second spinner. While Ravindra Jadeja selects for himself as the spin-bowling all-rounder, one of Rahul Chahar, Varun Chakravarthy, and Ravichandran Ashwin will fight for the second spinner spot. This is definitely going to be an interesting and difficult choice for Virat Kohli.

Ideally, seeing the recent IPL form, Varun Chakravarthy should get a go for the first match. If not him, Rahul Chahar should get a go given the number of right-handers in the squad. But Virat might prefer experience, hence the off-spin of Ashwin along with the left-arm spin of Jadeja might be the spin bowling pair India could look at. 

Pacers: Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar & Jasprit Bumrah

With the good form of Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the second warm-up match, the debate between Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur seems settled. The experience of Bhuvi could be handy, and India would want to utilize that in the important World Cup match. So, even as Shardul has been in good form in the last few years, Kohli might prefer the experience of Bhuvi.

Meanwhile, the pace bowling shall be led by World no 1 T20 bowler, Jasprit Bumrah and the wicket-taker, Mohammed Shami. Both will play a crucial role with Shami in the power play and Jasprit Bumrah in the death Overs. If Hardik bowls, it would ease a lot of pressure from their shoulders 

T20 World Cup 2021 India vs Pakistan – Team India Predicted Playing 11 for Team India:

Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami & Jasprit Bumrah. 

T20 World Cup 2021 India vs Pakistan- Predicted Playing 11 for Pakistan:

Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Fakhar Zaman, Asif Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Haris Raut, Hasan Ali & Shaheen Afridi. 

Thanks for reading! What’s your predicted playing 11 for Team India vs Pakistan for T20 World Cup 2021? Please email your thoughts to business@cricalytics.com

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