Asia Cup 2018: India-Pakistan combined playing XI

The Asia Cup has gotten underway and India would look to defend their title. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh kicked off the tournament with Bangladesh winning comprehensively.

The next major match of the Asia Cup is when India take on Pakistan on the 19th of September. It promises to be an absolute cracker and both the sides will look to get the better of the opposition.

Let's have a look at the combined playing XI with players from these two sides.

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1. Rohit Sharma (C)

Rohit Sharma has made large strides for India ever since he was made an opener for the limited overs set-up. Rohit is a reliable batsman who starts off slowly but is unstoppable once he gets his eye in. He has this destructive ability to make up for the dot balls conceded and that really makes him a stand-out. Not many batsmen have this ability. Rohit Sharma on his day can also provide quick starts for his side which really does provide a platform for the middle Order.

He's very good in the field too and rarely drops any catches. With experience on his side, he knows how to deal with a huge amount of pressure along with his batting. This quality of his makes him the captain of this team.

2. Fakhar Zaman

Zaman will look to provide a flyer for his team.

Fakhar has been a revelation for Pakistan in ODIs as he averages around 73 in ODI's. The last time these two sides played, Fakhar got a match-winning hundred for his side. He scores runs at a quick rate and has the ability to play a match-defining inning. He will look to repeat the same heroics against India when these two sides face off on Wednesday.

3. Babar Azam

How will he fare?

The Pakistani batsman has got some runs under his belt and is a potential threat to India's chances. The right-handed batsman plays a bit similar to Virat Kohli and rotates the strike frequently. This keeps the scoreboard moving and helps the team to build a perfect finishing platform. Babar Azam is dangerous if he is set on the crease.

4. MS Dhoni

The best wicket-keeper cum finisher of all time?

The veteran might be playing his last ever Asia cup and he will look to make it count. MS Dhoni is the perfect candidate for the number 4 slot for India as well as this playing 11. MS Dhoni knows best how to build an innings and then finish on a high, standing on that platform.

MS Dhoni is best effective in rotating the strike, converting ones into twos, twos into threes and putting in those occasional boundaries. Dhoni eliminates the need for boundaries simply with his running between the wickets.

Dhoni has got a very good average in the Asia Cup and slow tracks might suit his batting which is good news for the Indian team. Dhoni's wicket-keeping skills are the best in the world right now, hands down.

5. Shoaib Malik (VC)

The Pakistani Veteran.

A very capable all-rounder and a veteran of chipping in with some handy runs and wickets. He's the experienced player that Pakistan needs right now and if anyone's capable of countering the Dhoni factor, it's Shoaib Malik. An agile fielder and a reliable batsman who can also finish the innings for his side, Malik is the ideal No. 5 for this team.

6. Kedar Jadhav

A unique all-rounder.

He's a very good finisher and a very unorthodox player. He might be slow between the wickets but every now and then, he finds a way to get to a boundary. Kedar Jadhav is a very versatile player and can come in anytime in the innings and play from there on. Jadhav is a very dangerous player and can play the part of a finisher for this team.

7. Shadab Khan

The teen sensation.

Known more for his spinning abilities, Shadab Khan also possesses the ability to the spin the game by its head. He is a good turner of the ball and is very much capable of picking up some good and quick wickets.

He's very agile in the field too and he showed us his fielding prowess when he affected that run-out against Hong Kong. Towards the end of the innings, Shadab can strike some balls and strike them clean which makes him an able No.7 player.

8. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar

Bhuvi has looked threatening ever since he came out of the injury lay-off.

Excellent with the new ball, excellent at the death and brilliant in the field, Bhuvi possesses all the qualities required to cement his place in this team.

His knuckleballs and the yorkers towards the end is something that the opposition might want to watch out for. He swings the new ball both ways and has the ability to reverse swing the ball late in the innings.

Bhuvi can bat too which makes him an even more dangerous player. He is a live wire in the field and is a valuable asset to any team.

9. Mohammad Amir

He will be eager to get his grip on the Indian Batsmen.

The left-arm quick from Pakistan is known to bowl those toe-crushing yorkers with the new ball early on in the innings. He can bowl at an excess of 145 kph and can swing the ball both ways.

He is a dominant pace bowler and is a threat to any batsman. Considering India's weakness against left-arm quicks, Amir is sure to have a good game. Amir is a very good bowler at the death too and can mix up his speeds well.

Amir the batsman, can also score some quick runs and can prove to be a thorn in the flesh.

10. Jasprit Bumrah

A player to watch out for.

His unorthodox action and he fiery pace are what makes him dangerous. Bumrah has the ability to execute his yorkers to perfection and he's the best at it. With the new ball, Bumrah hits the deck hard and shapes the ball away from left-handers. He's very consistent with his line and length. This makes him even more threatening.

11. Kuldeep Yadav

England v India - 3rd ODI: Royal London One-Day Series

The Chinaman from India has taken some large strides in international cricket. In white ball cricket, he has become a force to reckon with. Difficult to read, Kuldeep possesses the ability to outfox both, left-handers and the right-handers.

The slow tracks in the UAE are bound to assist him. His pace and release points in his action make sure that he gets the maximum out of the pitch.