T20 World Cup 2022: Predicting Pakistan's playing XI for the game against India

Pakistan will begin their T20 World Cup 2022 campaign against arch-rivals India at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, October 23. Both teams have faced off against each other three times in the last 10 months with Pakistan enjoying a 2-1 lead. The last time both teams faced off against each other in the T20 World Cup, it was the Men in Green who successfully ended their 29-year World Cup jinx against India with an emphatic 10-wicket win in Dubai and they would be eager to add yet another feather in their cap by beating India in a World Cup event that too at the iconic MCG. Meanwhile, with Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam and a returning Shaheen Shah Afridi set to make a statement in the showpiece event down under, here's a look at Pakistan's predicted playing XI for their T20 World Cup opener against arch-rivals India. 1. Babar Azam Babar Azam might have been dethroned as the number one T20I batter after a disappointing Asia Cup campaign last month. However, the Pakistani skipper has been shattering records after records in the shortest format and this is one format that he enjoys playing the most. Heading into the T20 World Cup, Babar has registered a match-winning century in the home series against England and a couple of half-centuries in the ongoing New Zealand T20I tri-series and thus, has roared back to form just at the right time. Lately, Azam completed 11000 runs in international cricket and has become the 11th Pakistani player to achieve this feat. Thus, expect the Pakistan white-ball batting megastar to showcase a stellar performance against India. 2. Mohammad Rizwan Mohammad Rizwan has been the player to watch out for in T20Is for the last 12 months having showcased consistent performances on the 22 yards. With Pakistan having a tough time due to their fragile middle-order in the last couple of months, Rizwan and Babar have been doing the bulk of scoring as well. The wicketkeeper-batter is currently the top-ranked batter and had finished as the top-run getter of Asia Cup with 281 runs from six innings. He also scored half-centuries consistently in the subsequent home series against England and the T20I tri-series in New Zealand prior to the T20 World Cup. With the form on his side, Rizwan can certainly take the game away from India single-handedly during their mouth-watering clash at the MCG next week. 3. Shan Masood Shan Masood finally got a chance after months of hardwork in the domestic cricket as he will be Pakistan's number three batter for the T20 World Cup. Masood was recalled by the selection committee due to an injury to Fakhar Zaman in the Asia Cup final while fielding. Shan has the potential to take the game away from the opposition with his impactful knocks and can also show his agressive batting nature should Pakistan lose the key wickets of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam early. He scored two half-centuries in the home series against England. Masood also opened the innings in the warm-up game against England and scored at a quick pace. He will be raring to do well in the marquee clash against India. 4. Haider Ali Haider Ali who was a part of Pakistan's U19 World Cup squad for the 2020 edition has been given the responsiblity to take care of the all-important number four position. The Men in Green have been suffering a middle-order collapse regularly. In all possibilities, Haider could be selected in the playing XI ahead of Khushdil Shah who has been inconsistent with the bat in the last few months. The youngster does not boast of a good T20I record for now, but is capable enough to play cameo knocks. Haider Ali could well turn out to be a surprise package against India in Pakistan's T20 World Cup opening game especially the way he played in the final of tri-series against New Zealand. 5. Iftikhar Ahmed Iftikhar Ahmed has also been inconsistent so far and despite that, he still makes it to Pakistan's playing XI since the management and the selectors have no suitable options with them. Ahmed on his day can be impactful both with the bat and ball. The middle-order batter however, had a decent Asia Cup 2022 where he finished with 105 runs from six outings averaging 26.25 which means he can play some impressive cameos. The team management would prefer Iftikhar over the non-reliable Khushdil Shah for the key clash against India on the 23rd of this month. He can also deliver his offies if needed as the sixth bowler. 6. Asif Ali Apart from his four consective sixes against Afghanistan in the last year's T20 World Cup and a match-winning knock against arch-rivals India in the Asia Cup 2022 Super Four encounter, there have been no extraordinary performances from Asif Ali. Even though he is not a reliable middle-order batter at the moment, the power-hitter can clear the boundary ropes with ease on his day and can definitely be a game-changer in the death overs for Pakistan. The Indian bowlers need to bowl tight lines and lengths if they are to trouble Ali by any means at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 7. Shadab Khan Pakistan vice-captain Shadab Khan would be yet another impact player to watch out for in the key clash against the Men in Blue. Apart from his leg spin, Shadab can also play match-defining knocks in the death overs and has done it on a few occasions in the past. He finished with eight wickets in Asia Cup 2022 from five matches an average of 14.13 and also scored a vital 36 against Afghanistan in the Super 4 fixture that eventually turned out to be a low-scoring thriller. Khan also made a crucial 34 against New Zealand in the recently-concluded tri-series. Therefore, India must brace themselves for dealing with Shadab Khan the all-rounder this weekend. 8. Mohammad Nawaz Mohammad Nawaz in all likelihood could well be in the Pakistan team management's scheme of things for the playing XI against India next week. In fact, he was the one who had stunned the arch-rivals with his outstanding batting pyrotechnics in the Asia Cup. Nawaz had scored a match-winning 20-ball 42 against the Rohit Sharma-led side in the Asia Cup 2022 Super Four encounter last month and also finished the tournament with eight wickets from six matches at an average of 13.75. The bowling all-rounder would yet again be determined to prove a point or two against the Indian team on the big stage. 9. Naseem Shah Naseem Shah had nearly given India a scare in their Asia Cup 2022 group stage encounter. However, he was expensive in the Super Four clash. The emerging speedster would yet again be keen on challenging the the famed Indian batting line-up this year. Shah has the ability to provide early breakthroughs with the new ball and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and vice-captain KL Rahul should be well prepared to tackle him at the MCG. The 19-year-old who is coming back after recovering from COVID-19 would be hoping to make a strong statement right from the word 'go' in this T20 World Cup. 10. Haris Rauf Haris Rauf has been Pakistan's consistent pacer in the last couple of months that included the Asia Cup as well as the home series against England. He is a bowler with the potential to threaten any world-class batter in the death overs with his accurate bowling and well-disguised yorkers. Rauf is Men in Green's bowling trump card since he is well accustomed to the Australian conditions having played in the Big Bash League (BBL) for a few seasons. Moreover, he has already issued a strong warning to the Indian batters that he is a completely different bowler while playing in Melbourne. Haris Rauf along with the comeback man Shaheen Afridi can be a lethal bowling unit for Pakistan in their tournament opener against India. 11. Shaheen Afridi Shaheen Afridi will be bowling for the first time in competitive cricket after a knee injury ruled him out of the Asia Cup. He underwent a successful knee treatment in the United Kingdom and resumed his bowling practice during his road to recovery. The Indian top-order especially the top three batters need to play him cautiously in order to ensure that their side is not on the backfoot early on like they were in the last edition year where they ended up suffering a humiliating 10-wicket defeat. Afridi is getting close to his best and delivered a brilliant spell against Afghanistan in the second and final warm-up game. All eyes will be on him during the marquee clash and India will have to be careful of the left-arm seamer. Pakistan Playing XI: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shan Masood, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi

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T20 World Cup 2022: Predicting Pakistan's playing XI for the game against India

The Babar Azam-led Pakistan would be eyeing a second straight T20 World Cup win over arch-rivals India when the two goliaths collide at the iconic MCG on Sunday, October 23.

5. Iftikhar Ahmed

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