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IND vs PAK X-Factor Players

India will take on Pakistan in what is expected to be the tournament’s biggest game. An audience of more than 100,000 is expected to watch the game in the stadium. It might well be a record for the biggest crowd ever witnessed for a cricket game. The pressure will be immense for both sides. India will look at crowd support as the 12th man while Pakistan will look to silence the vociferous crowd. The team that will handle the pressure better will have the last laugh. X-factor players from both sides will play a decisive role.  Let us look at IND vs PAK X-Factor Players in detail.

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We look at a few such IND vs PAK X-Factor Players:

#4 Shadab Khan

The Pakistani vice-captain hasn’t been in the best form with the ball recently. Shadab Khan was at the receiving end in the Asia Cup and also in the first two games of the World Cup. But expect someone like him to step up in a crunch game. Indian batters don’t generally prefer playing wrist spin in the middle overs. It is herein where Khan will look to maximize his impact. He also is a vital cog lower down the order for Pakistan. His power hitting will come in handy on a surface expected to help the batters.

#3 Hardik Pandya

The names of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli often crop up in the buildup to a big game. But it has been Hardik Pandya who has played a major role in all of India’s key matches since his debut. He played a lone hand in CT 2017 final scoring 76 off 43 balls. Pandya played the supporting role to perfection in India’s magical win in the 2022 T20 World Cup.

He will once again be the crucial figure for India if they aspire to make it 8-0 against Pakistan in the ODI World Cups. Pandya will know the current home IPL crowd will be right behind him in this epic encounter.

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#2 Shaheen Shah Afridi

It was Shaheen Shah Afridi who broke India’s monotony over Pakistan in the World Cups. His new ball spell in the 2021 T20 World Cup set up a 10-wicket win for Pakistan. It was Pakistan’s first World Cup win albeit in the T20 format but a win nevertheless. He showcased his value in the league match of the Asia Cup bowling both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

In the absence of Naseem Shah, the onus is completely on Shaheen Shah Afridi to deliver the goods in the powerplay. If he manages to swing the game in the early overs then Pakistan will be the happier side at the end of the game.

#1 Mohammad Rizwan

He has had excellent numbers batting at number 4 in the current World Cup cycle. Mohammad Rizwan brought his A-game to the fore in the match against Sri Lanka. His precisely paced innings of 131* helped Pakistan register the highest successful chase in World Cups. He is someone who has terrific skills against spinners.

Rizwan will be the key to countering India’s spin duo in the middle overs. His enterprising approach will test the Indian bowlers. He already played a winning hand in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup win in 2021. Rizwan will eye an encore.