New Strategy, New XI
Desperate to overturn their fortunes against India in the Asia Cup rematch, Pakistan are set to tweak their playing eleven and approach. Sources told Telecomasia.net that a crucial meeting was held involving skipper Salman Agha, senior players Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Shah Afridi, and the coaching staff, where the line-up for Sunday’s Super Four clash was finalised.
Opener Saim Ayub, who has endured a lean patch with no notable scores in three matches, will be shifted to number four in the order. Either Fakhar Zaman or Mohammad Haris is expected to open, a move designed to ease pressure on Saim.
The team management has worked with Saim on his technique and reminded him of his unbeaten 98 against South Africa. He has been asked not to attack from the first ball, but to assess conditions before building his innings.
Saim’s struggles at the top are evident, falling in the first over eight times in his last 29 T20Is. But the management hopes a middle-order role may unlock his potential, even though he has batted there only four times, with limited success. Haris, meanwhile, is expected to benefit from a return to his preferred opening slot, buoyed by his recent fifty against Oman.
Mid-Order Shuffle
Another underperformer, Hasan Nawaz, is set to be dropped, paving the way for an all-rounder — either Faheem Ashraf or Hussain Talat.
Talat is a steady left-hander who can handle Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel’s spin, while Hussain offers the added advantage of seam bowling.
Nawaz’s struggles against spin have been glaring, with dismissals to slow bowlers in ten of his last 14 T20I innings. The bowling line-up, however, will remain unchanged, with Haris Rauf joining Shaheen Afridi as the frontline pacers.
Oman’s Blueprint
Pakistan’s coaching staff reminded players of Oman’s spirited performance earlier in the tournament and also revisited footage of Pakistan’s successful chase of 182 against India in the 2022 Asia Cup. Both instances are being used to bolster belief ahead of Sunday’s high-stakes encounter.
Motivational Boost
In a move highlighting the psychological weight of facing India, 'Pakistan have enlisted motivational speaker Dr Raheel Karim to strengthen the squad’s mental resilience. Dr Raheel, an experienced sports psychologist with over a decade of work across disciplines, joined the team on Wednesday and will stay until the tournament concludes', Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net) has learnt.
Clashes against India have often exposed Pakistan’s mental fragility, with the men in green losing 11 of their 14 T20I meetings. Last Sunday’s seven-wicket defeat added to that tally. The appointment of Dr Raheel reflects the management’s view that overcoming India requires mental fortitude as much as tactical adjustments.
Silence Speaks Volumes
Adding to the sense of pressure, Pakistan cancelled their scheduled pre-match press conference on Saturday. The decision, insiders suggest, was to avoid questions about the “no-handshake” controversy from the group-stage clash, and to keep focus strictly on preparations. With tactical adjustments and psychological reinforcements, Pakistan enter Sunday’s clash aware that their Asia Cup campaign — and pride — may hinge on this performance.
Suryakumar: ‘We start from scratch, noise stays outside’
Meanwhile. India captain Suryakumar Yadav has struck a calm and composed note, insisting that his team is neither carried away by past victories nor distracted by off-field chatter.
It doesn’t give us an edge that we have played them [Pakistan] once and had a good game. We will have to start from scratch. The country always supports us in every game. In this one too, keep supporting us.
No Room for Distractions
India’s skipper brushed aside the recent handshake controversy as well as any talk of psychological advantage. For him, the focus remains entirely on performance. “We have shut out all noises and chatter. We are not thinking about our previous wins, nor about the controversy. We only looked back at our game against Oman and what we can improve,” he explained.
Rivalry or entertainment?
When pressed on the intensity of the India–Pakistan rivalry, Yadav’s response was laced with his trademark humour. “I don’t know what rivalry you are talking about. When I go to the ground, I see a packed stadium, and when I see that, I tell my team, ‘Chalo bhai log, entertainment ka time aa gaya hai,’” he quipped, underlining that for him, the clash is as much about delighting the fans as it is about results.
Shutting off the outside world
The Mumbai-born batter also opened up about the challenge of filtering out noise in an era of constant scrutiny.
Close your room, switch off your phone and sleep. That is the best thing. It is easy to say, but sometimes it is difficult, because you meet a lot of friends, you go out for dinner, and you also have a lot of players around who like to see all these things.
For Yadav, it is about discipline and clarity of mind. “It is challenging, but it is up to you what you want to listen to and what you want to have on your mind. Going forward, we will have to shut out a lot of noise from outside. I have made that clear to the boys.”
