Asia Cup: Puzzling Indian jigsaw

PTI

Colombo, September 9

The Indian team management’s dilemma to choose between KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan will be the overriding theme amid the usual edgy emotional quotient when they face arch-rivals Pakistan in the most-awaited Super 4 match of the Asia Cup here tomorrow.

Alongside focusing on the team goals, the team management would also like to assemble the best possible XI against Pakistan, whom the Rohit Sharma-led outfit is facing for the second time in the event.

1 Babar Azam is one hundred away from drawing level with Saeed Anwar as Pakistan’s most prolific ODI centurion

3 Ravindra Jadeja is three strikes away from 200 ODI wickets. He will become the third Indian spinner to the landmark after Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh

But for that, they need to find answers to the aforementioned puzzle and hope that rain will stay away despite adding a controversial reserve day to the match on Monday.

The return of Rahul gives India a nice selection headache.

Kishan has impressed everyone in the last month or so, smashing four fifties in as many matches – three against West Indies and one against Pakistan in the Asia Cup Group A match last week.

During the process, Kishan has also diversified himself, underlining his comfort in positions ranging from opening to No. 5.

But Rahul’s claim for the No. 5 position is hard to ignore despite the fact that he has not played an ODI since March this year, courtesy a thigh injury and the ensuing phase of post-surgery convalescence.

The 31-year-old remains one of India’s steadiest ODI batters since 2019. In that year, he made 572 runs from 13 matches at 47.67. The trend continued in the following years: In 2020, he had 443 runs from nine matches at an average of 55.38; in 2021: 108 runs from three matches at 88.50; in 2022: 251 runs from 10 matches at 27.89 and in 2023: 226 runs from six matches at 56.50.

Jasprit Bumrah, who skipped the league match against Nepal, will also return to bolster the bowling attack.

Pakistan have already bagged two points after beating Bangladesh by seven wickets in Lahore, and another win will place them comfortably on the way to the final.

India will have to counter a potent Pakistan bowling attack that can make an impact irrespective of the nature of the pitch. Haris Rauf, with his express pace, is currently topping the tournament’s bowling chart with nine wickets from three matches, and seems to have emerged from the shadows of Shaheen Shah Afridi. — PTI

Gill wants India to face Pak’s bowlers often

Shubman Gill, who found Pakistan’s pace trio too hot to handle during his painstaking 10 off 32 balls in the group league game, admitted that not facing the Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf often, does make a “difference” during the multi-nation events. The Indian top-order batters have had issues with Afridi’s nip-backers and the awkward angles that he often creates. “We don’t play against Pakistan as often as we do against some other teams. We all know that their bowling attack is quite good and when you don’t play against such attacks often it makes a bit of difference in main tournaments,” Gill said. Gill then explained why Pakistan’s fast bowlers are making such an impact. “They are very different fast bowlers and they have their own specialities. Shaheen gets the ball to swing a lot. Naseem is all about pace and likes help from the wicket. They present different challenges,” he added. PTI

Samarawickrama keeps Lankans in hunt

COLOMBO: A sparkling 93 by Sadeera Samarawickrama that preceded a spirited bowling effort helped Sri Lanka overcome Bangladesh by 21 runs in their Asia Cup Super 4 match here today. Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka (3/28), spinner Maheesh Theekshana (3/69) and Matheesha Pathirana (3/58) starred with the ball as they bundled out Bangladesh for 236, after having posted 257/9. Now, they can make a genuine charge towards the final with two matches remaining.

Brief scores: Sri Lanka: 257/9 in 50 overs (Samarawickrama 93, Mendis 50; Mahmud 3/57); Bangladesh: 236 all out in 48.1overs (Hridoy 82; Shanaka 3/28).

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