Pakistan's battle royale in Asia Cup against India  

Betting Odds

Our Predictions 

• Babar Azam has odds of 3.36 to be Pakistan's best batsman in this game. 
• Virat Kohli has odds of 3.37 to be the best batsman for India.  
• Shaheen Afridi has odds of 3.52 to be the best bowler for Pakistan.  
• Mohammad Shami has odds of 3.62 to be India's best bowler  

MATCH PREVIEW     

Pakistan will take on India in Asia Cup 2023 as the most exciting and rare rivalry resumes, rare because the two sides have played only seven ODIs between them in the last 10 years! Cricket betting apps will run full steam as bettors worldwide stake in this game. Pakistan has made a positive start to the tournament with a massive win against Nepal, and the side will be in the perfect frame of mind ahead of the game.  

India has a good record against Pakistan in multilateral competitions, and they will aim to extend that here in this game. The two sides are well-matched, making it hard to come up with betting tips. We expect a thrilling contest as the subcontinental giants play each other in an ODI game for the first time since the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup.  

Pakistan Preview      

Babar Azam couldn't have asked for a better start ahead of this big game, both personally and for his team. He led from the front to take his side to a 238-run victory against Nepal in their opening game. It will be a different ball game against India, as they will be up against some of the best players in the world. Azam would like senior players on the side to deliver in this game as they look to top the points table in the group.  

Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq failed against Nepal, and the pair will look to deliver a strong start in this game. Babar Azam played a captain's knock, scoring 151, and he will look to add runs with Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed, who also hit a hundred. The team has a strong lower middle order, and they will expect runs from Agha Salman, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Nawaz in this contest.  

Shaheen Afridi is the key bowler for the side, and he must strike early in this game with Naseem Shah to rattle the Indian top order. Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf bowled good spells in the middle overs in the last game, and they must do the same here. The Pakistani attack lacks depth in the bowling department, and they will need a good spell from Mohammad Nawaz in the supporting role.  

Expected Starting XI for Pakistan     

Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf 

India Preview      

Rohit Sharma would have seen Pakistan in action in the last game, and he will be aware of the challenge in this game. An India-Pakistan contest always sees adrenaline levels shoot up, and Sharma must keep his side calm in this game. They have a good record against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, and the Indian skipper would like his side to approach this game clinically and do well.  

The side will need a good start from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Sharma has a good record against Pakistan and will look to build on that. Virat Kohli will look to anchor this innings in the middle order and build partnerships with Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer. They have a formidable lower middle order and shall expect runs from Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shardul Thakur.  

Jasprit Bumrah has looked in good form since his return, and he, along with Mohammad Shami, must deliver early wickets for the side to be in a commanding position. Ravindra Jadeja must bring his experience to play in the middle overs along with Pandya and Kuldeep Yadav. Thakur will look to deliver a good show in the supporting role for his side to win.  

Expected Starting XI for India     

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Mohammad Shami, Shardul Thakur, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav 

TOSS: To Bat First      

It will be a high-pressure contest, and neither side shall like to chase a big target. On sub-continental tracks, the side batting first has an advantage as the ball turns sharply in the second innings. Hence, the side winning the toss in this game will have little hesitation in bowling first in this game.  

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS      

We will see overcast skies over Pallekele, and there is a chance that rain may disrupt this game. The wicket is good to bat on, and we have seen high-scoring contests at this venue. The side batting first in this game shall eye 300 or more to feel safe.  

OUR PREDICTION      

It is a very close contest to call, as both teams have good players. Pakistan shall feel confident after their massive win in the last game.  Pakistan has a strong batting line-up, but the lack of depth in the bowling puts them at a disadvantage. Indians have several all-rounders in the team and a good record against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. The game will go down the wire, but Indians have the edge according to betting sites.  

Our Prediction is for India to win