ICC World Cup 2015: India vs Pakistan XI the on paper battle

Junaid Khan/Bilawal Bhatti/Sohail Khan*, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan vs Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma

* Junaid Khan was injured when the team left for New Zealand. Bilawal Bhatti is expected to replace him.

The pace attack will be the weaker link for both the teams going into this world cup. India’s most experienced pacer Ishant Sharma has played 75 ODIs and Junaid Khan, Pakistan’s most experienced pacer, has played 48 matches. Based on the recent form on success, the two pace attacks had in the near past, the two sides match equally to each other with one of the three from each side outshining the remaining two on his day. Pakistan’s pace attack will have a slight advantage over India because of Mohammad Irfan. The tall, gangly fast bowler rests at 7 feet and 1 inch and on faster pitches in Australia and New Zealand is likely to generate enough bounce to get the batsmen to their toes and face some chin-music.  Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been found to move the ball both ways in seaming conditions and has troubled Pakistan openers in the past. Wahab Riaz, in his last meeting vs India in a mega event, became only the 2^nd bowler to take a 5-fer in a India-Pakistan world cup game and he will surely look to repeat the same, if given a chance this season.