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India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2018 Live Updates: Sarfraz wins toss, will bat first

LIVE UPDATES: India will be looking to dominate arch-rival Pakistan once again and book their place in the finals of the ongoing Asia Cup, as the two sides face off in what promises to be another enthralling clash in their Super Fours fixture at the Dubai International Stadium here on Sunday. India will be eyeing a final berth in the prestigious tournament after winning three games in as many matches, while Pakistan will be looking to step up their game after a massive scare against Afghanistan in their previous match.

Catch all the action from the India vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2018 Live Updates here:

16:40 hrs IST

PLAYING XIs

Teams: India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni(w), Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal

Pakistan (Playing XI): Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Afridi

16:30 hrs IST

Pakistan win toss, will bat

Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed wins the toss and decides to have a bat first. He feels that the team would be more comfortable batting first and putting a good score on the board. Rohit wants the boys to chase well and put in a good effort here. Rohit is happy with the way the boys have performed so far in the tournament. Wants the boys to just keep calm and continue being clinical in their effort.

16:20 hrs IST

PITCH REPORT

Sunil Gavaskar: “The last time India played Pakistan here, it was an easy win for India. It’s a similar track. The ball was coming on to the bat, albeit a little slowly. The Indian spinners used it to good effect, to slow it off the pitch. For Pakistan, having done well chasing against Afghanistan, might want to field first. The pitch may open a few little cracks later and it may be good for the spinners later on. In general though, it will be certainly a graveyard for the bowlers, and they have to bowl stump to stump to have any chance of getting a wicket. The batsmen, if they get stuck in, it’s certainly a pitch made for them.”

16:10 hrs IST

Gavaskar warns Rohit and boys

While Pakistan have looked good only in patches, Gavaskar feels they will come back strongly against India. “Pakistan’s narrow win over Afghanistan will give them great heart, because narrow wins show the team’s character and determination to do well. What they will want is a better start to their innings for against both India and Afghanistan they didn’t get that. Maybe after two failures, Fakhar Zaman will come good on Sunday. That will certainly be a new challenge for India. Shoaib Malik has shown what experience can do and if the Pakistanis stitch a big partnership then India may have to work harder than they have so far. It’s an India versus Pakistan encounter and as we all know nobody can ever predict the result,” he said.

16:00 hrs IST

Hello and welcome

Favourites India have no grounds for complacency as they wait to see ‘which’ Pakistan turns up in the Asia Cup here Sunday, well aware of the unpredictable arch-rivals’ penchant for surprising not just opponents but themselves, too. India are eyeing a place in the final after three wins in as many matches, while Pakistan will look to step up their game in the Super Four match, after a scare against Afghanistan. India walloped Pakistan by eight wickets in the group game three days ago but if history is any indication, the Men in Blue will take their traditional rivals lightly at their own peril. After being made to work hard by minnows Hong Kong in their tournament opener, India got their act together in the much-awaited group game against Pakistan and produced a clinical display to make short work of Sarfraz Ahmed’s team.

Source: HindustanTimes