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Former Pakistan bowler Wahab Riaz feels that using part-time spinners Khushdil Shah and Salman Agha along with sole full-time spinner Abrar Ahmed would not hamper Pakistan against arch-rivals India on Dubai pitches that could be slow.
It will be a clash for ages as 2017 Champions Trophy finalists India will be aiming to avenge their loss to Men in Green in that final at The Oval eight years back, while the defending champions will be fighting for survival after loss to New Zealand in the campaign opener. While India has five spin options in Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy and Washington Sundar, Pakistan has only Abrar as a full-time spinner, a right arm leg-spinner and two part timers in Salman, a right arm off spinner and slow left-arm orthodox spinner. There is not much variety as compared to Indian spinners, three of which, Axar, Jadeja and Sundar, bat too. Speaking to the media ahead of the match, Wahab, a JioHotstar expert, said, "I do not think Pakistan will get effected by lack of full-time spin options and presence of part-time spinners like Khushdil and Salman Agha. Pakistan had a plan before this tournament and they depend a lot on these two players (Khushdil and Salman). Obviously they have not bowled much on international level, but domestically, they have a fine record as spinners. I think they are quite confident about it." "Things would not go with you always, like in the last match. It will always help since in Karachi (against NZ), the ball was gripping and turning. There would not be any advantage to India. Whoever plays better and holds their nerves better will win," he added. In 14 ODIs, Khusdil has three scalps at an average of over 96 as compared to 86 in 115 List-A matches at an average of just above 33. In 34 ODIs, Agha has 16 wickets at an average of above 45, while in 111 List-A matches, he has 89 wickets at an average of just above 34. In eight ODIs, Pakistan's primary spinner Abrar has 14 wickets at an average of 26.85. While in 24 List-A matches, he has 36 wickets at an average of over 27, making him the most inexperienced one despite being the main spinner. Squads: Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy. (ANI)
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