India vs Pakistan Match Prediction: Who will win today's Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s match?

If cricket was like boxing, we might have a ring girl stroll in ahead of the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 Super Fours clash and show off a placard emblazoned with "Round 2". Unfortunately, though, cricket isn't like boxing, and more importantly, Round 1 didn't reach completion.

India and Pakistan slugged it out in the group stage at Pallekele exactly a week ago, and when we say slugged it out, we mean for one innings and one innings alone. That was all the game could manage before the heavens opened up and decided that the Men in Green didn't need to bat.

Shaheen Shah Afridi probed away with the new ball once again and picked up four wickets in the match, including the big scalps of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. It must be said that the left-armer made India's premier batters look out of their depth, and the battle will be one to watch out for once again.

India fought back, though, with Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan leading the charge. The latter, who made an invaluable counter-attacking fifty to dent the Pakistan charge, is locked in a duel against KL Rahul, who has joined the squad, for the wicketkeeper's spot.

The arch-rivals gave us a taste of what to expect, but didn't give us what cricket teams are inevitably judged on these days - the result. The stage is set nicely for the Asia Cup to shift to Colombo, where the weather isn't any more promising despite the unfair and rather ridiculous addition of a reserve day.

Nevertheless, India vs Pakistan is a clash that will always have a billion eyeballs trained on it, even if only one ball is bowled. What does the next rendition of the rivalry have in store for us on Sunday, September 10?

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India vs Pakistan Match Prediction, Asia Cup 2023: Men in Blue up against pace trio, 2.0

Pakistan's pace trio is led by Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pakistan's pace trio has been the talk of the Asia Cup so far. Shaheen Shah Afridi has led the way; Naseem Shah has been quietly unplayable; Haris Rauf has cranked it up and flown under the radar despite that.

They've had the wood over India's top order over the course of several competitions now, and the narrative of the contest is no doubt going to revolve around those match-ups. Can Shaheen trouble the openers once again? Will Rauf harry the middle order with his pace and venom?

We didn't see India's bowlers take on the Pakistan batters in the group stage, so it's tough to say how that battle will transpire. Jasprit Bumrah not having bowled in ODI in over a year doesn't help matters, with the fast bowler expected to slot back into the side after missing out on facing Nepal and getting some overs under his belt.

Overall, though, Pakistan's batters have not inspired enough confidence to suggest that they'll be able to complement their bowlers. Fakhar Zaman, in particular, is going through a lean run after an excellent start to the calendar year.

While anything can happen, India could have a slight edge on Sunday. In reality, however, rain is the runaway favorite.

Prediction: India to win Match 9 of Asia Cup 2023.