It’s impossible to make predictions about an India-Pakistan encounter. Who will have the upper hand, who will trump whom, what will be the strategies — the questions are many, but answers are few. But Sayak Banerjee of The Telegraph pads up for the big match and lists the key match-ups between the two teams which could play a crucial role in determining the outcome of Sunday’s T20 World Cup game at the MCG.
Rohit/Rahul vs Shaheen
Those two lethal inswingers that had knocked over Rohit Sharma and his opening partner KL Rahul in Dubai during last year’s T20 World Cup are still fresh in the memories of most. If Shaheen Shah Afridi can be so dangerous in Dubai, how deadlier can he be in Australia? Whether India bat first or second, it will be a testing spell from the Pakistani left-arm quick for sure and skipper Rohit and Rahul must have done their homework to foil Shaheen’s missiles.
One way out could be the Indian openers giving Shaheen due respect and seeing his spell off. That said, given the class of Rohit and Rahul, they might decide to catch the bull by its horn. Rohit practised against India leftarm quick Arshdeep Singh at the nets in the lead-up to the game. Will that be enough preparation?
However, Sunday’s game is set to be Shaheen’s first competitive appearance after quite some time since he was sidelined by a knee injury. He did look sharp in the recent warm-up game versus Afghanistan, but the pressure of an international match is different. Will his mind and body pass that test?
Kohli vs Rauf
His unbeaten century versus Afghanistan in the Asia Cup, which was his first in almost three years, gives hope that Virat Kohli will be in a better space form-wise on Sunday
If Rohit and Rahul can deal with Shaheen, Kohli may not have to face the Pakistan spearhead early in the match. But even if Kohli doesn’t face Shaheen, he will certainly have to appear for the Haris Rauf test.
Rauf is no Shaheen in terms of pace, but in accuracy, he is Pakistan’s most reliable bowler. Highly effective in the slog overs, which was seen during Pakistan’s recent T20I series against England, the pacer can get the job done in middle overs as well and can bowl inside the Powerplay too if required.
But Kohli, the master batsman, has dealt with such challenges before. Whose day will it be on Sunday?
Shami vs Babar/ Rizwan
India’s humiliating 10-wicket loss to Pakistan in last year’s World Cup was Mohammed Shami’s last T20I appearance. And in that game, both Mohammad Rizwan and Pakistan captain Babar Azam had taken Shami apart as he finished with a poor economy rate.
But in Australian conditions, Shami’s the king. Agreed, it was just a warmup game against Australia in Brisbane where he successfully defended 11 runs in the final to give India a win. But the lengths Shami had hit in that final over to finish with three wickets for just four runs were simply perfect.
Rizwan and Babar are probably the world’s best opening pair in T20I cricket, but if Shami bowls the right line, makes good use of the seam and can slip in the yorker as well, the Pakistani openers are sure to have nightmares.