IND vs PAK: Pakistan playing XI vs India, Match 12, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - Predicted

Pakistan will face India in the all-important game of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Saturday.

It has been a great start to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 for the Men in Green. Pakistan started well with a comprehensive win over Netherlands in their opening game. That was followed by a record chase against Sri Lanka, which gave this team a lot of confidence. But their biggest challenge is the next game.

Pakistan will face India in the much-awaited clash on October 14 in front of more than 100,000 Indian fans at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The emotions will be really high, and there will be immense pressure. Pakistan will hope that all players can stay clam and perform well. Here we will talk about Pakistan's predicted playing XI against India in Ahmedabad.

IND vs PAK: Pakistan's Predicted playing XI vs India

1. Abdullah Shafique:

A hundred on World Cup debut is always special, and what if you are the first player from your country to do so? Abdullah Shafique started his World Cup journey with a spectacular hundred in the record chase against Sri Lanka. He scored 113 off 103 when big guns failed. That hundred would have given him a lot of confidence, and he can deliver something similar against India.

2. Imam-ul-Haq:

A batting average of almost 50 and the second-fastest to 3000 ODI runs are some stats of Imam-ul-Haq. But the left-hander has looked a bit rusty in the two games so far. He has scored 15 and 12, but his team will hope that he can do what he does best and play a big innings that can put pressure on India in Ahmedabad.

3. Babar Azam (c):

Just like Imam, Pakistan captain Babar Azam hasn't started yet in this tournament and has scored 15 runs in two innings. But despite that, Pakistan won both of their games, that is something different to see. But Babar is a big match player and will be the main wicket for India. Because he can surely take the game away from the Indians if he gets going.

4. Mohammad Rizwan (wk):

Mohammad Rizwan has been in the form of his life, which is why he is sitting at No. 2 as the highest run scorer in this tournament. Rizwan has scored four half-centuries and one hundred in the last six innings. His unbeaten 131 against Sri Lanka was the reason that Pakistan chased down that record total. Thus, India will have to get him out early because he is a game-changer.

5. Saud Shakeel:

Saud Shakeel has been a great addition to Pakistan's middle order. He has scored 68 and 31 in two innings so far. The left-hander can play spin pretty well, which is why he can be effective against the Indian spinners. Because if Pakistan do not lose wickets in the middle, then it will become a big challenge for India.

6. Iftikhar Ahmed:

Iftikhar Ahmed will be the biggest threat for India in Ahmedabad. He has been performing pretty well for his team in both departments. With the ball, he has better stats than Pakistan's main spinners. With the bat, he can change the game in a span of a few overs, which makes him a key player in this lineup.

7. Shadab Khan:

Shadab Khan has looked off-color in the past few games, but he is very important to this team because he gives them a good balance. The vice-captain has done well with the bat and played some crucial innings but his biggest role will be with the ball. If he can take a couple of wickets in the middle overs, India might be in trouble.

8. Mohammad Nawaz:

Just like Shadab, Mohammad Nawaz is another spin-bowling all-rounder that can be pretty effective in Ahmedabad. The pitches in India have more to offer for spinners, and Nawaz bowls a tight line, which can trouble any batter. He is also a floater on the team that can bat anywhere, and he can take on any bowling attack.

9. Hasan Ali:

Hasan Ali's inclusion in the World Cup squad ignited many questions, but the pacer has certainly answered some of them on the field. He is currently the best pacer for Pakistan in this tournament and has six wickets in two innings. Hasan must have gained confidence with that, and he can be pretty deceptive with the new ball against India.

10. Shaheen Afridi:

Shaheen Shah Afridi will be the biggest threat for India with the new ball. He has good numbers against India's top order, and if he can bowl a couple of good balls to take early wickets, the pressure will be on India's middle orders and not every time they can perform. So India need to make sure to play positively against Shaheen.

11. Haris Rauf:

Haris Rauf has taken five wickets in two innings and has been the fastest bowler on either team. He can be expensive sometimes but has the ability to take wickets, which makes him a key bowler in this lineup. Haris will have one job in his hand to run through the Indian batting attack, and he will be up for it.