Asia Cup: Pant vs Karthik crisis for India, Pakistan suffer bowler shortage

Asia Cup 2022 India vs Pakistan: Both teams are suffering from a selection crisis. While India cannot choose between Rishabh Pant and D Karthik, Pakistan has to choose between Hasan Ali and Md Hasnain

The India vs Pakistan clash is once again here on another Sunday afternoon in Dubai. The Stadium is going to be packed to the rafters and the fans expect nothing less than what they saw the last time- A last-over thriller in a low-scoring run chase.  However, both India and Pakistan are suffering from problems of their own heading into this mega clash. 

Pant vs Karthik: Whom to pick and why?

India have played both Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik in the first two games. None of them got a chance to bat for a long time. Thus coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit Sharma would have to rely on the past performances and Karthik would overpower Pant on it. 

In 2022, Karthik has played 30 innings (both IPL and T20Is) and scored 523 runs, remaining not out 15 times and thereby having a decent average of 34.86 and a strike rate of more than 140. This is a lethal combination for a battier coming in at number six. 

On the other hand, Pant has so far played 26 innings and scored 600 runs, but his average has been below 30. He has also not donned the finisher’s hat, thus Karthik just about over-scores him for the post.

Since Ravindra Jadeja is not available and Hardik Pandya more or less bowls four overs, India could afford to play both Pant and Karthik. But in doing so, they will do injustice to the talents possessed by both Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel who would be the right candidates to replace injured Jadeja. 

Shortage of fast bowlers: Unique problem for Pakistan

Pakistan has produced daunting fast bowlers year after year. At this very moment they can get fast bowlers who can easily clock 140kmph at the trow of a stone. However, coming into the Asia Cup, they lost two of their playing eleven mainstays in Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Junior. Shahnawaz Dahani and Naseem Shah replaced the two. In the game against India, even Naseem looked injured and so did Haris Rauf. 

However, the two of them are fine, but Shahnawaz Dahani has been ruled out of the game against India. Pakistan would be forced to play Hasan Ali or Mohammad Hasnain as the only two remaining fast bowlers in the squad.

Hasnain has been called out for a suspect action, so he might not be the first choice. Hasan Ali has played only two T20Is since his infamous drop of Matthew Wade in the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final which cost Pakistan the match. Pakistan have no choice but to play him. 

It would be interesting to see the combinations with which India and Pakistan go in this game as Avesh Khan is also reportedly injured.
 

India Predicted Playing 11

Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant/Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel/ Deepak Hooda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R.Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh

Pakistan Predicted Playing 11

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Hasan Ali