Asia Cup 2023, India vs Pakistan: Babar Azam announces unchanged XI for Men in Green on eve of blockbuster clash

Pakistan announced an unchanged playing XI on the eve of their blockbuster Asia Cup 2023 clash against arch-rivals India in Pallekele. Two-time champions Pakistan began their Asia Cup campaign with a resounding 238-run victory over tournament debutants Nepal in Multan on Wednesday. Read |  Pakistan the biggest threat as India aim for eighth Asia Cup title Babar Azam (151 off 131 balls) led the way with a majestic hundred and found valuable support from Iftikhar Ahmed (109 off 71), who not only forged a 214-run fifth-wicket stand with the Pakistan skipper but also brought up his maiden international ton, helping the tournament hosts post 342/6 on the board. Leg-spinner Shadab Khan then ran through the opposition batting lineup, collecting four wickets for 27 runs as Nepal were bundled out for 104 in reply, resulting in Pakistan registering the second-biggest win in Asia Cup history and their third-biggest ever in terms of runs.

The Men in Green, who finished runners-up in last year’s edition in the UAE, travel to Pallekele in Sri Lanka for their next encounter, where they square off against Rohit and Co. India and Pakistan had met each other twice in the 2022 edition in the UAE; while India won the group stage encounter by five wickets, Pakistan would win the Super Four match by a similar margin. India vs Pakistan at Asia Cup 2023: All you need to know India would then get knocked out of a place in the final following a defeat against Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s thrilling three-wicket victory over Afghanistan. Sri Lanka would then defeat Pakistan in successive games, in the final Super Four fixture as well as in the final, to win their first major event since the 2014 T20 World Cup as well as their sixth Asian title overall. Read | We will use our experience against Pakistani pacers, says Rohit Sharma The last time India and Pakistan squared off in any format was in the T20 World Cup last year in Melbourne, where Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 82 led India to a four-wicket victory from the jaws of defeat. Pakistan XI: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammed Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf.