All speculation has finally ended, as the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup is set to take place on Sunday as part of the group stage. At one stage, uncertainty loomed over whether the fixture would go ahead amid boycott discussions, but Pakistan agreed to play following intervention from the ICC.
Much of the spotlight has been on Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq, whom captain Salman Ali Agha has described as his trump card. However, the Indian camp appears unfazed.
Suryakumar Yadav has made it clear that India is prepared even for 'out-of-syllabus' challenges, adding to the growing excitement around the contest.
ALSO READ | IND vs PAK T20 World Cup: What happens if the Colombo match is washed out?
India is unlikely to make major changes to their playing XI. If fit, Abhishek Sharma is expected to replace Sanju Samson. Kuldeep Yadav could emerge as a surprise inclusion despite missing the first two games. On Colombo’s spin-friendly surface, he may pose a significant challenge to Pakistan’s batting lineup.
ALSO READ | Which team has reached the ICC T20 World Cup Finals the most?
Pakistan, too, are expected to rely heavily on spin. They fielded five spinners in their previous match and could adopt a similar strategy against India. With both sides preparing tactical spin battles, cricket fans are eagerly awaiting what promises to be a gripping encounter. Viewers can catch the match live from home through official broadcast and streaming platforms.
Predicted XI
India predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav
Pakistan predicted XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed.
When and where to watch the match live?
The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network on TV. Additionally, cricket lovers can watch the game by logging into the JioHotstar app and website. However, a subscription will be required for this. The India-Pakistan match will be held at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The game will start at 7 PM Indian time.
