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Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has named his combined India-Pakistan XI ahead of their Asia Cup 2025 clash. The two arch-rivals are scheduled to face off in the sixth game of the tournament on Sunday, September 14, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Ahead of the much-anticipated showdown, Chopra named his combined XI in a video shared on his YouTube channel, where he picked India’s vice-captain Shubman Gill and world No.1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma as his opening pair. At No.3, he slotted in wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson.
For the No.4 spot, Chopra picked India’s skipper and third-highest run-scorer in T20Is for the Men in Blue, Suryakumar Yadav (2605 runs). At No.5, the 47-year-old opted for Tilak Varma, the ICC’s second-ranked T20I batter, who has scored 749 runs in 24 innings with three fifties and two centuries.
Chopra then included the No.1-ranked all-rounder Hardik Pandya at No.6, followed by Shivam Dube at No.7. The 32-year-old impressed in India’s opening game against the UAE, returning figures of 3/4 in two overs. Spin-bowling all-rounder and Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel was placed at No.8.
Aakash Chopra picks Jasprit Bumrah as the lone frontline seamer in his IND-PAK playing XI
In the bowling department, Aakash Chopra went with mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy. The 34-year-old has enjoyed an impressive run over the past 12 months in India’s colors, featuring in 19 T20Is and picking up 34 wickets.
Next, the former opener slotted in left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. The 30-year-old won the Player of the Match award in India’s clash against the UAE, returning figures of 4/7 in 2.1 overs.
At No.11, Chopra included India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. The right-arm seamer has represented India in 71 T20Is, claiming 90 wickets at an average of 17.75 and a strike rate of 16.9.
Aakash Chopra’s combined India-Pakistan XI: Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah.
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Edited by Dev Sharma
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