Revealed: Why Shreyas Iyer isn't playing against Pakistan in IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2023 Super Four match

Shreyas Iyer is not part of India's playing XI vs Pakistan in the super four match of Asia Cup 2023.

Shreyas Iyer, after playing two games in Asia Cup, will miss out on an important super 4 game against Pakistan. KL Rahul will be making his comeback in the action against Pakistan after a long layoff. Rahul will be replacing Shreyas Iyer in the playing XI as Iyer is suffering from back spasm, and team management decided to go with Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul. Shreyas Iyer was part of Indian playing XI in their previous two encounters against Pakistan and Nepal in Asia Cup 2023 league round.

Rahul, Bumrah in; Shami, Iyer out

Indian captain Rohit Sharma informed the crowd during the toss that team India had to make an enforced change in their playing XI due to Shreyas Iyer’s injury. Rohit Sharma informed at the toss, "We've two changes in the side, Jasprit Bumrah comes in and there's a forced change, Shreyas Iyer got a back spasm right before the toss, so KL Rahul comes in his place." Along with this, team India made more changes in their XI as Jasprit Bumrah came back from Mumbai and joined Indian camp in Colombo. Bumrah comes back, replacing Mohammed Shami in the team. Ishan Kishan might bat at number 4, while KL Rahul might get his number 5 position as well as gloves while fielding.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bowl first against India. At the toss, the Pakistan captain said, "We will bowl first. I think there is a bit of moisture; we need to use that. Always, India vs Pakistan is high-intensity, but we will take it match to match." Pakistan are going strong in the competition and challenged India nicely in their previous meeting with the ball in hand. Pakistan had already announced their playing XI just a day before.

So far, the weather has remained sunny, and rain has stayed away in Colombo. Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh super four game on Saturday was a 50-overs encounter with no interruptions during the match. Rain was expected on both Saturday and Sunday, but so far the clouds have stayed away from R. Premadasa Stadium, as both teams will walk into the field with the sun shining over their heads. Indian top-order will be looking to get big scores against Pakistan's pace attack.