Pakistan to drop Out-of-form duo Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah for India showdown

According to new reports, Pakistan is preparing to make two significant changes to their playing XI ahead of their eagerly awaited Asia Cup 2025 Super Four match against India in Dubai. The much-anticipated showdown is already loaded with off-field drama, and it looks like Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah will be on the bench with the management desperate to address their batting problems and add more all-round depth.

Captain Agha Salman and his team will have optimism heading into this high-pressure setting, having had a mixed group stage. They had relatively easy wins against Oman and the UAE but were beaten soundly by India, who exposed all their weaknesses on the pitch. Unfortunately for them, this has prompted the team management, whose head coach is Mike Hesson, to consider some changes to how they now play before facing their rivals again.

According to a leading broadcaster Geo's report, Pakistan are expected to include Hussain Talat and Faheem Ashraf in place of Hasan Nawaz and Khushdil Shah. The rationale behind this is to provide additional fast-bowling all-round options to the middle order, adding batting stability and additional pace options.

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Hasan Nawaz has poorly at bat in this tournament, scoring only 17 runs in three innings for an atrocious average of 5.67. Khushdil only bat once against the UAE and scored a meager four runs. These weak performances have led to the team opting toward more experienced and well-rounded players.

The bowling balance is set for a shift as well. Pakistan has gone with multiple spin options but will likely return to Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf as pace prime-movers, with Abrar Ahmed as the primary spinner. Left-arm wrist-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem will likely be omitted as well. The think tank suggests they wish to counter India's batting power with extra pace, a development directly attributable to earlier performances of Kuldeep Yadav against Pakistan who simply wrestled their top order during the earlier group match.

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In addition to cricketing reasons, there has been an ongoing level of controversy throughout this rivalry. Pakistan's objections to the snub of their post-match handshake, the complaints over match referee Andy Pycroft, have all contributed to an awkward atmosphere heading into the game. Even PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi made a visit to training in the hopes of boosting morale and helping the players get back on focus before this must-win battle. 

As we wait for the midday October start time, there are a number of layers to consider. The tension is building, and if we consider the stakes bordering on or already into the "high stakes," we can clearly identify what is at stake: for Pakistan it is about redemption, about keeping the 2023 World Cup campaign alive; for India it is simply about continuing their domination over their rivals, advancing to the World Cup final, and extending their undefeated World Cup record to 8-0.

Pakistan's probable XI vs India
Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (c), Mohammad Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Haris (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed