The two-match T20
and three-match ODI series has been squeezed in between India`s ongoing
full series against the England cricket team, which has taken a break to
go home for Christmas and New Year holidays.
Five years after their bilateral cricket ties snapped due to the Mumbai
terror attack, India and Pakistan are set to slug it out in what
promises to be a high-voltage limited-over series starting with the
first Twenty20 international here on Tuesday.
India and Pakistan, which last played a bilateral series in 2007, squared off in multi-national events several times after 2008 but for the first time, a Pakistani cricket team will be hosted for a series after the attacks.
India and Pakistan, which last played a bilateral series in 2007, squared off in multi-national events several times after 2008 but for the first time, a Pakistani cricket team will be hosted for a series after the attacks.
The Indian team is under some sort of pressure because of the weak
bowling attack. The batsmen did well in the recently concluded T20
series against England, but the bowlers failed to show any teeth as both
Dinda and Awana leaked runs in plenty.
It is a high-voltage clash and both the teams will be under pressure to deliver. India would consider themselves lucky as they are in some sort of rhythm after playing a 2-match T20 international series with England.
Pakistan on the other hand have been a force to reckon with in the shortest version of the game. They have better all-rounders in form of skipper Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and veteran Shahid Afridi, a factor which could give them a slight edge over Team India.
India Squad:
MS Dhoni (c & wk), Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Parvinder Awana, Ashok Dinda, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ambati Rayudu
Pakistan Squad:
Mohammad Hafeez (c), Kamran Akmal (wk), Nasir Jamshed, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Amin, Zulfiqar Babar, Asad Ali, Shahid Afridi, Ahmed Shehzad, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan
It is a high-voltage clash and both the teams will be under pressure to deliver. India would consider themselves lucky as they are in some sort of rhythm after playing a 2-match T20 international series with England.
Pakistan on the other hand have been a force to reckon with in the shortest version of the game. They have better all-rounders in form of skipper Hafeez, Shoaib Malik and veteran Shahid Afridi, a factor which could give them a slight edge over Team India.
India Squad:
MS Dhoni (c & wk), Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Parvinder Awana, Ashok Dinda, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ambati Rayudu
Pakistan Squad:
Mohammad Hafeez (c), Kamran Akmal (wk), Nasir Jamshed, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Amin, Zulfiqar Babar, Asad Ali, Shahid Afridi, Ahmed Shehzad, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan