India vs Pakistan is more than just a fixture and is the biggest group stage match of the tournament. The two teams will face each other on February 15 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, with the match scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM IST.
India enter the contest after a convincing win against Namibia. Pakistan also come in with confidence after defeating the USA. However, recent form alone may not decide the outcome, as pitch and weather conditions in Colombo are expected to play a major role.
The pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium has been slow throughout the tournament. The ball has not come easily onto the bat and has shown grip and turn. No team has crossed 200 runs here, with most scores ranging between 140 and 170.
This surface is not suited for free flowing batting. Power hitting by itself may not be effective. Batters who rotate strike and remain patient during the middle overs are likely to find more success, especially with the large boundary dimensions.
Spinners are expected to have a strong influence on the game. Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel could be crucial for India during the middle overs. Pakistan’s mystery spinner Usman Tariq may also pose challenges if the pitch assists turn.
The toss could be an important factor. If rain does not interrupt proceedings, the team winning the toss may prefer to bat first. The pitch tends to slow down later in the evening, making run chases more difficult.
Weather remains a concern in Colombo. There is around a 65 percent chance of rain during the day, with showers possible in the evening as well. Conditions will be closely monitored closer to match time.
As this is a group stage fixture, there is no reserve day scheduled. In the event of a complete washout, both India and Pakistan will be awarded one point each.
There are a few team updates ahead of the match. Abhishek Sharma is expected to return to the side, which could see Sanju Samson miss out on selection for this game.
Washington Sundar is likely to replace Rinku Singh in the playing eleven. Arshdeep Singh is expected to feature, which may result in Kuldeep Yadav sitting out of the contest.
India’s expected playing XI includes Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan as wicketkeeper, Suryakumar Yadav as captain, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Varun Chakravarthy.
Overall, this match may not turn into a high scoring affair. Bowlers, particularly spinners, could dictate terms. If rain stays away, a tense and closely fought battle is expected in Colombo.
