The biggest rivalry in cricket resumes as India takes on arch-rivals Pakistan in the 12th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14th. This will be the 8th time these two fierce rivals meet at the World Cup, with India holding a 7-0 head-to-head advantage.
Both teams have won their first two games convincingly at the tournament. India is riding high on the back of Rohit Sharma’s brilliant century against Afghanistan. Pakistan pulled off a record ODI chase of 345 in their last game against Sri Lanka.
This promises to be an epic clash between two extremely talented teams. India has the psychological edge thanks to its unbeaten World Cup record against Pakistan. But Babar Azam’s men are in top form and will fancy their chances this time. With so much star power on both sides, fans are in for an unmissable India vs Pakistan blockbuster.
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Overview
India has made a superb start to their World Cup campaign, with wins over Australia and Afghanistan. Skipper Rohit Sharma is in sublime form, having scored a sensational 131 against Afghanistan. Virat Kohli also looks to have returned to his best, judging by his half-centuries in both games so far.
KL Rahul provides class to the middle order, while Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja bring balance as all-rounders. India’s bowling possesses potency and versatility with the pace of Bumrah and Siraj complemented by the wrist spin of Kuldeep Yadav.
The hosts will miss the services of Shubman Gill due to injury. But otherwise, India’s squad brimming with seasoned match-winners makes them hot favorites to clinch the trophy. They will be further spurred on playing arch-rivals Pakistan in front of a massive home crowd.
Overview
Pakistan has defied expectations so far at this World Cup, headlined by their historic successful chase of 345 against Sri Lanka. Rizwan and debutant Shafique played brilliant hundreds to set up that chase before the middle order completed the job.
Skipper Babar Azam has gotten decent starts but will be eager for a big score against the arch-rivals. The fast bowling duo of Afridi and Rauf provide major wicket-taking abilities with the new ball. Spinners like Shadab Khan and Nawaz lack experience but have performed adequately so far.
If Pakistan’s top order can build substantial platforms, their big-hitters like Iftikhar and Khushdil Shah can explode late on. The Men in Green also have tremendous self-belief and momentum currently. Underdogs they may be, but Pakistan has the team synergy and confidence to beat anyone on their day.
vs. Starting XI
Expected Starting XI for India:
- Rohit Sharma (c)
- Ishan Kishan
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Hardik Pandya
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Shardul Thakur
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Siraj
Expected Starting XI for Pakistan:
- Abdullah Shafique
- Imam-ul-Haq
- Babar Azam (c)
- Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
- Saud Shakeel
- Iftikhar Ahmed
- Shadab Khan
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Hasan Ali
- Shaheen Afridi
- Haris Rauf
India may opt for Suryakumar’s explosiveness in place of Shreyas Iyer in the middle order. Ravi Ashwin could replace Kuldeep Yadav as the sole spinner.
Pakistan could consider playing left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi despite injury concerns. Fakhar Zaman may get his second game instead of Hasan Ali. Otherwise, both teams should field familiar and settled XIs for this huge clash.
See the confirmed starting lineups below an hour before the match starts.
vs. Head-to-Head
India has an impeccable 7-0 record against Pakistan in World Cup meetings across both ODIs and T20Is. This includes wins in the 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2011, 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cups.
Overall in ODIs, Pakistan edges India 73-56 in head-to-head with 5 no result games. India has won the last 4 out of 5 ODI matchups against Pakistan after losing the 2017 Champions Trophy final match.
India’s recent supremacy has been built on strong performances from top-order batters like Rohit, Ishan Kishan and Kohli. Their potent bowling attack led by Bumrah, Shami and spinners also gives them an edge over Pakistan.
But Pakistan has the talent to break India’s undefeated streak if their key players like Babar and Rizwan shine. This will be their best opportunity yet to triumph over India on the massive World Cup stage.
Weather & Pitch Report
The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad generally offers batting-friendly conditions. The weather will be clear and hot, with temperatures around 35 degrees Celsius. Humidity levels will be moderate.
The pitch has an even grass covering and is usually devoid of major cracks and spots early on. Batting is easier in the first half when the ball comes nicely onto the bat allowing strokeplay. The true bounce also enables shot-making.
As the game progresses, the surface gets slower and spinners come into play. Dew may make gripping the ball difficult for bowlers in the second half under lights. Teams prefer chasing on this ground with the pitch getting better to bat later on.
Considering the batter-friendly nature of the surface, both teams will be aiming to post 300-plus totals batting first. The key will be to preserve wickets in the middle overs before attacking the bowling in the death overs.
Overall an entertaining high-scoring battle is on the cards in Ahmedabad. The team adapting better to the changing conditions during the two innings will likely emerge victorious.
IND vs. PAK Prediction
This is an extremely tough match to predict with both India and Pakistan boasting world-class talent. India’s unbeaten past record and home advantage make them narrow favorites.
Their top order batting led by the supremely consistent duo of Rohit and Kohli sets a platform for explosive middle-order power hitters like Pant and Pandya. The hosts also have greater bowling variety to exploit helpful conditions.
But Pakistan possesses enough game-changers like Babar, Rizwan and Shaheen to pull off a famous victory. Much will hinge on whether their spinners can match India’s wrist-spin duo. Their batting needs to fire in unison to challenge India’s formidable totals.
Considering the unprecedented batting depth and bowling firepower in both camps, fans are guaranteed an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Slight odds favor India ending Pakistan’s winless run, but expect the contest to go down to the wire.
Prediction: India to notch a tense win but Pakistan will push them close.
India vs. Pakistan Betting Tip
Back Rohit Sharma as top match scorer given his excellent record against Pakistan. Virat Kohli could also prove a smart bet for highest scorer after his consistent start. Suryakumar Yadav has the X-factor to dominate Pakistan’s bowlers. Consider betting on him. For bowlers, expect Haris Rauf and Mohammad Shami to take 2+ wickets each.
Babar Azam is due a big knock against arch-rivals India. Consider betting on him scoring 70+ runs. With batting-friendly conditions, consider betting on over 320 total runs scored. Given the dew factor, the team batting second should start favorites. This promises to be an epic clash that could go either way. But India have more match-winners which could prove decisive.
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If you want to check out our other Cricket World Cup match predictions, you can find them on our site. In the meantime, you can check out how to bet on the Cricket World Cup.
