Dubai, Sept 14 (UNI) Pakistan have won the toss and decided to bat first against India in what promises to be another fiery T20 encounter at Dubai International Cricket Stadium tonight.
India’s playing XI is a blend of youth and experience: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav leading the charge, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson behind the stumps, and the all-round firepower of Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakaravarthy.
Pakistan have picked their side carefully: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris keeping wickets, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha leading the attack, and the ever-dangerous Shaheen Afridi with Abrar Ahmed in the mix.
Over the last year, since that blockbuster T20 World Cup clash in New York, things have changed dramatically for both sides. India has said goodbye to legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while Pakistan no longer fields Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam. But the cricket lives on, the fresh blood is here, the young guns eager to make a mark.
Keep an eye on the battles: Abhishek Sharma taking on Shaheen Afridi, Suryakumar Yadav against Abrar Ahmed, and the spin twins Varun and Kuldeep testing Pakistan’s middle-order. That’s where games are won or lost in T20 cricket.
The atmosphere is electric. Fans have poured in hours before the 8 pm IST start, waving flags, chanting “India jeetega,” reminding everyone why this rivalry is unlike any other. Historically, India still leads the T20 battle 10-3, but Pakistan has had its moments, the close calls in Melbourne, New York, and Dubai bring memories of brilliant bowling and audacious chases.
Dubai has always been kind to Pakistan, whether it’s Shaheen Afridi’s magic with the ball in 2021 or that thrilling chase in 2022. Under captain Salman Agha and coach Mike Hesson, Pakistan is evolving fast, thinking modern T20, and with spinners like Mohammad Nawaz, who Hesson hails as potentially the world’s best, India’s batsmen will need to be at their very best.
Tonight, it’s all about spin, strategy, and nerve. Slow surface, dry conditions, humid night—every factor will come into play. This is T20 cricket at its finest, a clash that will have fans on the edge from ball one to the last.
Teams:
India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy
Pakistan (Playing XI): Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris(w), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha(c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abrar Ahmed
