One of the most-anticipated matches of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 is set to be played between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on Sunday, June 9, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, in New York.
After Pakistan's humiliating defeat to co-hosts USA, things have gotten very interesting in Group A. The importance of this India-Pakistan match has therefore increased as the Men in Green will treat this as a must-win game, to keep their hopes of qualifying for the Super Eight phase alive.
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In this article, we list out five players including the MVP to watch out for when these two teams take the field at New York.
Who are the five players to watch out for in India vs Pakistan match at the T20 World Cup 2024?
Here is a list of five players to watch out for, when India takes on Pakistan at the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York, on June 9.
1. Virat Kohli (India)
Team India's talisman has been a nightmare for the Pakistan bowlers in the past. Kohli's magnificent knock when these two teams met in the last T20 World Cup in 2022 was an unbeaten 82 off 53 balls, when he took his team from the claws of defeat to a victory that will be remembered for ages.
He also holds the record for most runs against Pakistan in T20Is and at the T20 World Cup, making him the most important player to watch out for in this match. His last 4 scores T20I scores against Pakistan reads: 82*, 60, 35, and 57.
In addition, he will hope to flourish in his new role as an opener for the national team, a position in which he thrived at during the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.
2. Jasprit Bumrah (India)
The right-arm fast bowler will lead the bowling attack for Team India and aided by the pacer-friendly conditions at New York, he can cause a lot of damage against the Pakistan batters.
Bumrah's 24 balls is expected to make a huge impact on the result of this match especially when he takes on Pakistan's top order batters, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam, in the powerplay.
The Indian bowler is also in great form after picking up 20 wickets in 13 matches, at an average of under 17 runs per wicket and an economy of 6.48 in the recent IPL 2024 season.
3. Babar Azam (Pakistan)
The Pakistan captain recently overtook Virat Kohli for the most runs in T20I cricket history with 4067 runs, compared to Kohli's 4038 runs.
With his experience, Babar will be expected to hold the Pakistan batting together on a tricky wicket at New York, where batters have struggled to score runs so far.
4. Hardik Pandya (India)
After an underwhelming IPL 2024 season, the all-rounder bounced back in the opening game of the T20 World Cup 2024 with a 3/27 against Ireland. He also scored an unbeaten 40* against Bangladesh during the warm-up matches, which is sure to have boosted his confidence.
He was picked to play the role of a sixth bowler in the team. However, given the pacer-friendly conditions at New York, he is expected to have a bigger role to play in this match.
In his 5 T20Is against Pakistan, he has picked up 11 wickets, including three 3-wicket hauls.
5. Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)
The left-arm pacer has picked up 18 wickets in his last 10 T20I matches despite looking a little off-colour since his return from injury.
That said, he will be bowling on the pitch at New York for the first time, in conditions that might be ideal for a fast bowler like him. If he manages to find his rhythm early on, he can cause huge troubles to India's top order especially against Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
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