T20 World Cup 2024: India vs Pakistan, Match 19: Players' past performances and battles

Rohit Sharma has had his share of struggles facing left-arm seamers, especially when the ball is new. The Indian captain will have to compete against two experienced left-arm pacers - Mohammad Amir and Shaheen Afridi when the Men in Blue lock horns with Pakistan on Sunday, June 9, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.

India have an excellent record against Pakistan in World Cups. Specifically in T20 World Cups, India have a 6-1 lead in seven meetings. This year, in the T20 World Cup 2024, the two traditional rivals are placed in Group A alongside the USA, Ireland, and Canada. While the two former champions are expected to progress from the group, they will be eager to earn the bragging rights when they square off on Sunday.

Also Read: T20 World Cup 2024: Rohit Sharma fit for Pakistan clash after minor injury scare

There are several matchups to look forward to in the mouth-watering contest. One of them is the duel between India's talismanic opener - Rohit and Pakistan's potent duo of Amir and Shaheen. Rohit has scored 571 runs off 426 balls against left-arm seamers in T20I cricket and has been dismissed 21 times. He is averaging 27.19 and strikes at 134.03. The 37-year-old has been found wanting in the past against the inswinging delivery on the stumps. Amir and Shaheen will want to exploit the chink in the Indian stalwart's armour but expect the batter to be up for the battle.

Shaheen has bowled six deliveries in T20I cricket to Rohit and dismissed him once. Meanwhile, Amir has got the wicket of the Mumbai batter twice in seven balls in T20Is.

Why Arshdeep Singh could be key for India?

Arshdeep Singh will fondly remember his last meeting with the Pakistan team in the T20 World Cup. In the 2022 edition of the marquee event, the left-arm seamer accounted for the wickets of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. The two most reliable batters in the Pakistan team were sent back by Arshdeep in his burst with the new ball.

Also Read: Pakistan openers engage in heated debate over Babar Azam's captaincy

Arshdeep has been inconsistent in recent times but there is no doubting the immense talent he possesses. In India's first game in the ongoing T20 World Cup against Ireland, the left-arm speedster bagged the wickets of veteran openers Andrew Balbirnie and Paul Stirling with the new ball, and that must have done a world of good to his confidence. Indian fans would hope that the 25-year-old brings his A-game to the fore in the high-voltage clash between the two Asian giants.

Can Hardik Pandya repeat his heroics against Pakistan?

Hardik Pandya had a forgettable Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign but fared well in the warm-up match against Bangladesh and India's T20 World Cup opener against Ireland. His all-round talent could be key for India against their arch-rivals.

Hardik has been a thorn in Pakistan's flesh over the years. The Baroda all-rounder has an excellent record in the two white-ball formats against the Men in Green. In T20Is, Hardik has accumulated a decent 84 runs in five innings at an average of 21 and a strike rate of 127.77. However, his bowling stats against the Men in Green are awe-inspiring, as the 30-year-old has bagged 11 wickets from five innings at an average of 12 and a strike rate of 9.50.

Hardik's all-round show against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup was lauded by fans as well as experts. He bowled four overs and picked up three wickets before scoring a crucial 40 with the bat in the second innings. His 113-run stand with Virat Kohli set the foundation for the inaugural champions to pick up a famous last-ball win. Hardik will hope to replicate his heroics against Babar Azam and Co. on Sunday in what promises to be an intriguing encounter.

Can Virat Kohli make a hattrick of T20 WC fifties vs Pakistan?

Virat Kohli has given Pakistan many sleepless nights in the past. The 2009 champions will want to see the back of the former India captain as soon as possible because he could dictate terms once he gets set at the crease.

Kohli has scored half-centuries in the last two T20 World Cup meetings against Pakistan. In the 2021 edition in the UAE, the right-handed batter scored a 49-ball 57 in a losing cause. However, his unbeaten 82 off 53 balls in the 2022 World Cup is considered one of the greatest T20 innings of all time. He helped India chase down a 160-run target after they were tottering at 31/4 at one stage. Indian fans would love to see Kohli score a hat-trick of T20 World Cup fifties against Pakistan.

Kohli finished as the highest run-getter in IPL 2024. He skipped the first warm-up game against Bangladesh and fell cheaply versus Ireland. The 35-year-old would want to get back among the runs on Sunday in the all-important clash.