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The on-going Test series between India and England may be the biggest blockbuster of the format in this season but a limited-overs thriller is looming just around the corner, as well. It's less than a month's time before the arch-nemesis, India and Pakistan face-off in their Asia Cup encounter in the deceptive sands of the Emirates.
While India are on tenterhooks as they look to battle out in the inhospitable English conditions, Pakistani players are coming off a month's long rest as they prepare for their training camp ahead of the tournament.
The two bitter rivals enjoy an Asia Cup tradition lidded with cliff-hangers and evenly matched duels. The upcoming clash at Dubai Sports City is expected to be no less. In this piece, we try to anticipate Pakistan's probable playing XI for the high-voltage contest by inferring on their recently-concluded tour of Zimbabwe as well as the list of players named for the conditioning camp.
1. Fakhar Zaman
Fakhar Zaman is one player who has changed the outlook of this batting line-up from an elderly woman pushing a shopping trolley to a rally car fluttering around bends dangerously.
Since coming on to the International stage in Champions Trophy last year, Zaman has already smashed a double-ton and also scurried his way through to become the quickest man in cricketing history to reach 1,000 ODI runs.
He is currently averaging a staggering 76-plus in the 18 games he has featured in. Zaman clobbered the Indian bowlers in the CT final to register a maiden century and Virat Kohli and co would need to draft a sly plan to pluck out his wicket, early in the piece.
2. Imam ul Haq
Imam ul Haq is another solid-looking, graceful player who has risen to international stardom quite early in his career. His debut in October 2017 against Sri Lanka bore a maiden ODI century.
Since then, Imam has represented Pakistan in 8 more ODIs and altogether he has racked up 544 runs boasting 4 centuries. He has the most number of tons for any player who has featured in less than 10 ODI matches. Imam is an absolute definite for the clash against India.
3. Babar Azam
One of Pakistan's most premier batsmen in the modern age, Babar Azam is all about class and immaculate consistency.
The right-hander, hailing from Lahore, has a knack of piling up heaps of runs without twitching a muscle. In the 46 games he has played for Pakistan, Azam is edging 2,000 ODI runs at a sublime rate of 54.80 runs per match.
He played out a handy knock in the Champions Trophy Final and his wicket will definitely be a prized one for the Men in Blue.
4. Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik is the experienced campaigner, the man of crisis in Pakistan's line-up. He made his debut way back in 1999 and has a plethora of experience and runs under his belt.
Since making a remarkable comeback to the national team in 2015, Malik has been in an exquisite run and has become one of the senior-most players for the Greenshirts.
Currently, he is one of the best players in the world when it comes to manoeuvring and handling spin-bowling.
5. Sarfraz Ahmed (C & wk)
Pakistan's skipper, Sarfraz Ahmed, is all about overflowing passion and devotion for the game. The way he has led Pakistan after the departure of stalwarts (Misbah and Younis) is extremely commendable.
His fervour-filled leadership was really on show during the CT final and he will be no less this time around as well. He has got a great cricketing brain and the way he marshals his troops will play a vital role in deciding this battle's fate.
His batsmanship skills may have deteriorated over the last couple of years due to the extensive workload of wicket-keeping and captaining. But he still is a handy player down the order who can take away the game in a mere jiffy.
6. Asif Ali
Asif Ali, a right-handed lower-order batsman from Faisalabad, is also one of those stars that emerged from the Pakistan Super League and have proved a point in the international arena.
Known for his belligerent style of batting and brutal hitting, Ali is a paramount find. He showed glimpses of his clean striking during Pakistan's ODI series against Zimbabwe.
Sarfraz and co will hope that Ali can live up to his reputation and dismantle India's bowling line-up in the upcoming match, provided he gets a chance to do so.
7. Shadab Khan
Shadab Khan is the all-round prodigy hailed as the next big thing in Pakistan Cricket. The leggie has made significant strides in International Cricket since being promoted from the PSL to the national playing XI.
Not only has he bamboozled the best of the batsmen with his treacherous leg-spin, but Khan has, more often than not, also offered handy contributions with the bat.
He is one of those key players that gel the batting and bowling orders together. To top it up, the 20-year old isn't short of fielding brilliance too.
8. Faheem Ashraf
Similar to that of Shadab's, Faheem Ashraf's career is also a relatively newer but thoroughly flourishing one. The first time he appeared on the international scene was against Sri Lanka in Champions Trophy Knock-out game where he made a quickfire cameo.
He is renowned for his power hitting and is even tipped as the next Abdul Razzaq for Pakistan. Ashraf has also put up consistently impressive performances with the ball, on Pakistan's away games.
9. Mohammad Amir
Unarguably, the spearhead of Pakistan's pace battery, Mohammad Amir is the most premier bowler the Men in Green have.
He is a streaky bowler who is all about control, late swing and, at times, sheer pace. Mohammad Amir's career is marred with both scandalous controversies and lifetime-cherishing memories.
For some reason, he enjoys a special record against the arch-rivals India. In the last few encounters, he totally rocked the Indian top order with his high-quality seam-bowling. The likes of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane would need to be extremely wary of the threat he poses.
10. Hasan Ali
Hasan Ali is, undoubtedly, the most fearsome bowler in this Pakistani line-up. He is famed for his hostile style of bowling coupled with his skiddy action.
Ali's career has got off to an extraordinary start. Since making his debut in 2016, he has played 33 matches for Pakistan, taking an eye-opening 68 scalps with an average less than 21.
He was named Man of the Tournament for putting up scintillating performances throughout the Champions Trophy 2017.
11. Imad Wasim
Scarred with injuries, Imad Wasim has been out of the Pakistani colors since October 2017. He, however, played a crucial role during Pakistan's campaign in the Champions Trophy and also during the rejuvenation period since Sarfraz took over captaincy.
Former No.1 bowler in T20 Cricket, Wasim has the guile and patience required by a spinner in limited-overs Cricket. He can also bat a bit and showed glimpses of it during the clash against India.
Wasim will be extremely useful in the spin-friendly conditions of the Emirates and the Pakistani management are likely to go ahead with him instead of the likes of Junaid Khan or Rumman Raees.
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