<p>Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are all set to clash in a mouth-watering showdown on Saturday, at Sri Lanka's Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. As both sides eye the trophy, in order to gain momentum for the upcoming World Cup, here is a SWOT analysis for both sides.</p>.<h2>India:</h2><p><strong>Strength</strong>: India's main strength is its batting, especially the top-order. The Indian side will be hoping that their 'holy trinity' of skipper Rohit, peerless Kohli and his heir apparent Shubman Gill is ready to fight fire with fire against Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and the feisty Naseem Shah.</p><p>Kohli would not mind an encore of that magical moment against Rauf during the last T20 World Cup in Australia, while Rohit would be ready with his answers for Shaheen Shah Afridi's banana inswingers in India's 'battle royale' against Pakistan, which will be more than just a World Cup dress rehearsal. </p><p>The Indian side had also won the last 50-over edition of the tournament back in 2018, with Rohit as the captain.</p>.The three phases of India-Pakistan Asia Cup rivalry.<p><strong>Weakness</strong>: The main hurdle Rohit and his team would have fix is the side's inability to perform under-pressure. The Indian side, despite having a massive pool of talent, has not managed to win any trophies, with the last one being in 2013, when the M S Dhoni-led side lifted the Champions Trophy.</p><p>Ever since, the side has not won a single ICC trophy, even after putting up good performances in bilateral series.</p><p>Though India's top-order is much lauded, the lack of a good middle-order may pose challenges and leaves a lot to be desired. The exclusion of an off-spinner for the tournament may also prove problematic.</p>.<p><strong>Opportunity</strong>: The Indian side has been marred with injuries, with several first-team players having spent much time on the sidelines. The return of the likes of Shreyas Iyer and K L Rahul will further bolster the batting lineup, especially the middle-order.</p><p>Ishan Kishan's inclusion will certainly give the Indian batting unit a bit of variety for him being a left-hander. The inclusion of youngster Tilak Verma can also add more depth to the side with him adding a value left-handed option in the middle order.</p>.<p><strong>Threats</strong>: The inclusion of Iyer, Rahul as well as pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna may well as be a blessing or a boon for the side. Though the pacers managed to get some play time after coming back from injury, in the recently-concluded T20 series against Ireland, both batters are yet to be tested, while there are concerns about Rahul's fitness as well.</p><p>The form of Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav's ODI form could also be of concern. While opener Gill has proved his caliber in the subcontinent pitches, Suryakumar is yet to prove his worth in the 50-over format.</p><p>The lack of a proper middle-order, especially the no. 4 spot in the absence of Rahul, can also pose threat to the Indian side.</p>.<h2>Pakistan:</h2><p><strong>Strength</strong>: Pakistan's main strength is undoubtedly their bowling attack, especially their pacers. The trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf will look to run riot over whatever that comes in their way. All three are super quick and highly accurate as well. The side also boasts a well-balanced spin department, with Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Agha Salman and Usama Mir all included in the squad.</p><p>The team is also currently the no.1 ranked ODI side after a series win against Afghanistan recently. The side also has the top ranked ODI batsman in skipper Babar Azam, who scored a magnificent 151 off 131 balls against Nepal in the inaugural match of the tournament. The likes of Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman complement their skipper well bolstering Pakistan's batting prowess. </p>.Asia Cup 2023: A look at India vs Pakistan's Last 5 ODI clashes.<p><strong>Weakness</strong>: While the team boasts of a strong batting line-up, the side is marred with inconsistency. Its either the openers who rack up runs while the middle-order falls short, or the other way around. It was all the more evident when the team clashed with newcomers Nepal in the opening match, when Babar along with Ifthikar Ahmed racked up runs in the middle-order, when openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq failed to score big.</p>.<p><strong>Opportunity</strong>: Pakistan is on the back of an excellent run in ODI format, and have managed to hit form just before the tournament. Having played 11 ODIs since the start of this year, where they managed to win eight and lost three, the side's 3-0 series win against neighboring Afghanistan in Sri Lanka has helped them get accustomed to the conditions. </p>.<p><strong>Threat</strong>: While the 'Green Brigade' boasts of a well-balanced side, it is their unpredictability and inconsistency that could pose a threat. A major example for this was the case of last year's T20 World Cup when the side managed to win 3 of their group stage games, against Bangladesh, South Africa and Netherlands, but lost to Zimbabwe, which surprised many. </p><p>Another issue that has haunted Pakistani cricketers is their sloppy fielding and running between the wickets, with dropped catches and leaking of extra runs having proved costly in the past.</p>
<p>Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are all set to clash in a mouth-watering showdown on Saturday, at Sri Lanka's Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. As both sides eye the trophy, in order to gain momentum for the upcoming World Cup, here is a SWOT analysis for both sides.</p>.<h2>India:</h2><p><strong>Strength</strong>: India's main strength is its batting, especially the top-order. The Indian side will be hoping that their 'holy trinity' of skipper Rohit, peerless Kohli and his heir apparent Shubman Gill is ready to fight fire with fire against Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and the feisty Naseem Shah.</p><p>Kohli would not mind an encore of that magical moment against Rauf during the last T20 World Cup in Australia, while Rohit would be ready with his answers for Shaheen Shah Afridi's banana inswingers in India's 'battle royale' against Pakistan, which will be more than just a World Cup dress rehearsal. </p><p>The Indian side had also won the last 50-over edition of the tournament back in 2018, with Rohit as the captain.</p>.The three phases of India-Pakistan Asia Cup rivalry.<p><strong>Weakness</strong>: The main hurdle Rohit and his team would have fix is the side's inability to perform under-pressure. The Indian side, despite having a massive pool of talent, has not managed to win any trophies, with the last one being in 2013, when the M S Dhoni-led side lifted the Champions Trophy.</p><p>Ever since, the side has not won a single ICC trophy, even after putting up good performances in bilateral series.</p><p>Though India's top-order is much lauded, the lack of a good middle-order may pose challenges and leaves a lot to be desired. The exclusion of an off-spinner for the tournament may also prove problematic.</p>.<p><strong>Opportunity</strong>: The Indian side has been marred with injuries, with several first-team players having spent much time on the sidelines. The return of the likes of Shreyas Iyer and K L Rahul will further bolster the batting lineup, especially the middle-order.</p><p>Ishan Kishan's inclusion will certainly give the Indian batting unit a bit of variety for him being a left-hander. The inclusion of youngster Tilak Verma can also add more depth to the side with him adding a value left-handed option in the middle order.</p>.<p><strong>Threats</strong>: The inclusion of Iyer, Rahul as well as pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna may well as be a blessing or a boon for the side. Though the pacers managed to get some play time after coming back from injury, in the recently-concluded T20 series against Ireland, both batters are yet to be tested, while there are concerns about Rahul's fitness as well.</p><p>The form of Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav's ODI form could also be of concern. While opener Gill has proved his caliber in the subcontinent pitches, Suryakumar is yet to prove his worth in the 50-over format.</p><p>The lack of a proper middle-order, especially the no. 4 spot in the absence of Rahul, can also pose threat to the Indian side.</p>.<h2>Pakistan:</h2><p><strong>Strength</strong>: Pakistan's main strength is undoubtedly their bowling attack, especially their pacers. The trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf will look to run riot over whatever that comes in their way. All three are super quick and highly accurate as well. The side also boasts a well-balanced spin department, with Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Agha Salman and Usama Mir all included in the squad.</p><p>The team is also currently the no.1 ranked ODI side after a series win against Afghanistan recently. The side also has the top ranked ODI batsman in skipper Babar Azam, who scored a magnificent 151 off 131 balls against Nepal in the inaugural match of the tournament. The likes of Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman complement their skipper well bolstering Pakistan's batting prowess. </p>.Asia Cup 2023: A look at India vs Pakistan's Last 5 ODI clashes.<p><strong>Weakness</strong>: While the team boasts of a strong batting line-up, the side is marred with inconsistency. Its either the openers who rack up runs while the middle-order falls short, or the other way around. It was all the more evident when the team clashed with newcomers Nepal in the opening match, when Babar along with Ifthikar Ahmed racked up runs in the middle-order, when openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq failed to score big.</p>.<p><strong>Opportunity</strong>: Pakistan is on the back of an excellent run in ODI format, and have managed to hit form just before the tournament. Having played 11 ODIs since the start of this year, where they managed to win eight and lost three, the side's 3-0 series win against neighboring Afghanistan in Sri Lanka has helped them get accustomed to the conditions. </p>.<p><strong>Threat</strong>: While the 'Green Brigade' boasts of a well-balanced side, it is their unpredictability and inconsistency that could pose a threat. A major example for this was the case of last year's T20 World Cup when the side managed to win 3 of their group stage games, against Bangladesh, South Africa and Netherlands, but lost to Zimbabwe, which surprised many. </p><p>Another issue that has haunted Pakistani cricketers is their sloppy fielding and running between the wickets, with dropped catches and leaking of extra runs having proved costly in the past.</p>
