Asia Cup: An all-time India-Pakistan combined ODI XI | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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Asia Cup: An all-time India-Pakistan combined ODI XI

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByHT Correspondent
Sep 23, 2018 09:35 AM IST

With hours to go before the clash between India and Pakistan in the 2018 Asia Cup, Hindustan Times takes a look at an all-time combined XI of the two Asian giants.

The much-awaited clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is set to take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Wednesday. Emotions will run high both on and off the field as the two teams are set to clash for the first time since the final of the Champions Trophy in England in 2017. While India’s stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma has said that the team is ready for the challenge, Pakistan skipper Sarfraz Ahmed believes that his boys need to bring out their best game against the arch-rivals.

File image of Sachin Tendulkar and Wasim Akram(Getty Images)
File image of Sachin Tendulkar and Wasim Akram(Getty Images)

With hours to go before the clash between India and Pakistan in the 2018 Asia Cup, Hindustan Times takes a look at an all-time combined XI of the two Asian giants:

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Sachin Tendulkar (Opener)

One of the best to have played the game, Tendulkar with 100 hundreds in international cricket is an obvious choice at the top of the innings. With 18,426 runs from 463 ODIs, Tendulkar is rightly called the Little Master. Considering his ability to take the attack to both quality pace and spin, he would be the ideal man to get the team off to a flying start.

Saeed Anwar (Opener)

Another great who cemented his place in the top of the innings for Pakistan, Anwar was known to make the most of the field restrictions at the start of the innings. The fact that he would bring the left-right combination into the picture makes him all the more dangerous. His knock of 194 against India was for long the highest individual score in ODIs. With 8824 runs in 247 games, Anwar was a proven performer.

Virat Kohli (Batsman)

The current India captain is an automatic choice in every XI across all formats. Considering the form that he has shown in the last couple of seasons, he would be the perfect man to walk in at the fall of an opener. Known to break records at will, Kohli current has 9779 runs from 211 games with 35 100s. In fact, he is considered favourite to break Tendulkar’s record of 100 international hundreds.

Javed Miandad (Batsman)

He was the perfect example of what middle-order batsmen are required to be. With the spreading out of the field and the introduction of spinners making it difficult for the batsmen to pick boundaries, Miandad was known to be the best when it came to stealing singles and turning ones into twos. The likes of Michael Bevan might have made finishing innings a fashion, but Miandad was the ultimate when it came to rotating the strike and frustrating opposition bowlers with his chatter. The 67.01 strike-rate for a batsman with 7381 ODI runs shows that he believed in running the hard singles.

Sourav Ganguly (Captain, Batsman)

One of the most successful captains to have played the game, Ganguly’s ability to handle the big stars made him favourite for the role of skipper. With stalwarts from start to finish, it was important to hand the captaincy to a man who knew a thing or two about handling star egos. Also, his ability to tonk the ball against spinners makes him a quality number 5 even though 90 per cent of his 11363 ODI runs came at the top of the innings.

MS Dhoni (Wicket-keeper, Batsman)

He might lose to Ganguly when it comes to being named skipper, but Dhoni is one of the best when it comes to counting limited-overs greats. His record speaks volumes for a man who is India’s best-finisher in the shorter format. Coming in lower down the order, Dhoni can not only run the quick singles, but also hit the big ones into the stands. 10046 runs from 321 games bear testimony to his talent as a batsman. Not to forget his clinical work behind the stumps.

Kapil Dev (All-rounder)

The man who led India to its first World Cup win in 1983 was also one of the best all-rounders to have played the game. With 3783 runs in 225 ODIs and 253 wickets, Kapil is undoubtedly a must when one picks an all-time XI from the sub-continent.

Imran Khan (All-rounder)

Another must in an India-Pakistan combined XI, Imran was as much a lethal bowler as he was a handy bat. Not to forget the inspirational leader in him. His presence would definitely help the bowlers in the team in trying conditions. 3709 runs in 175 ODIs with 182 wickets makes him a captain’s delight.

Anil Kumble (Spinner)

He might not have been the most talented player in the circuit, but what Kumble lacked in talent, he made up with dedication and determination. His fast leg-spinners often hurried on to the batsmen before they could get their bat down and trap them in front of the wicket. While he did develop a handy googly in the second-half of his career, most of his 337 ODI wickets came from leg-spinners and flippers.

Saqlain Mushtaq (Spinner)

The first bowler to bring in the doosra, Saqlain will for always be remembered for happily bowling in the first 15 overs with just two fielders outside the circle. While his career did come to a sudden halt, it wasn’t before he picked 288 wickets in 169 ODIs. His control also made him the go-to-man for the captain at the death of an innings. While he was the fastest to 100 wickets, his career graph went down as injuries started creeping in.

Wasim Akram (Fast Bowler)

If there is one man who deserves to be handed the new ball in this team, it has to be this left-arm great. The white ball in Akram’s hand was a delight for cricket fans across the globe as much as it was a dreadful sight for opposition batsmen. With 502 wickets from 356 ODIs and the toe-crushing yorker in his kitty, Akram is undoubtedly one of the best bowlers to have played the gentleman’s game.

12th Man: Waqar Younis (Pacer)

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