Asia Cup 2018: 4 potential game changers for the upcoming India vs Pakistan clash

When the last time Asian arch-rivals met, despite being the mega finals of ICC Champions Trophy, it was a one-sided affair, which mostly doesn't happen when these two sides play each other.

The one is called the cricketing-king of Asia while the other is known by mother-of-unexpected turnarounds. India and Pakistan, the neighbors whose cricket stories are known to almost everyone around the World, are going to clash for one more time in the upcoming Asia Cup, which starts from tomorrow at UAE.

The match that is scheduled on 19th September, five days away, is one of the most looked-after encounters in this year's cricket calendar.

While players, team management of both the teams are weaving plans to counter each other, so are fans, cricket pundits predicting various angels of the match.

As the clash encloses enormous relevance, here we bring you the predicted players who might steal the show and come out as man-of-the-match in the encounter:

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#4 Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya could have a major say in the outcome of the match

India's premium all-rounder, Hardik Pandya whose stunning innings in the Champions Trophy final against Pakistan is still fresh in the memory of the fans of both the countries, might complete the job that he left half-done last time around.

The tall, athletic, Pandya though has been struggling with his form recently undoubtedly would be one of the strong links for India in Asia Cup.

He owns 670 runs and 40 wickets in 41 ODIs and is currently the only bowling all-rounder in the Indian team.

The Baroda all-rounder has played just two ODIs against Pakistan, both in Champions Trophy last year at England.

In the first match, he scored unbeaten 20 runs and scalped two wickets while as in the second one, he scored 76 and took one wicket.

He would be aiming to make most of the upcoming match and help India defeat arch-rivals in the mega encounter.

#3 Fakhar Zaman

Fakhar Zaman scored a double-ton against Zimbabwe recently

The southpaw opener, Fakhar Zaman who was the hero for Pakistan in the last encounter, when these two teams met.

After surviving Bumrah's controversial no-ball, he scored a fabulous century, due to which Pakistan was easily able to defeat rivals, India and lift the Trophy.

The 28-year-old has scored 1065 runs in mere 18 ODIs at an average of 76, including three centuries and six fifties. He recently fired a double-ton against Zimbabwe and became the first Pakistani to hold this record in One-day cricket.

The hard-hitting Zaman strikes around 110, which is more than good in ODIs and could turn Pakistan's fortunes in the coming match against India.

#2 Mohammad Amir

Amir celebrating Kohli's wicket in CT final

One more star performer from Champions Trophy finals, Mohammad Amir is considered as one of the lethal seamers present in the current era. He has 52 wickets at an economy of 4.7 in 41 ODIs.

Pakistan's pace-battery head, Amir removed India's top three viz Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli in the last match while conceding merely 16 runs in six overs. However, in the four matches against India, he has taken five wickets, including no wickets in two of the matches.

Indian batsmen would surely have plans to counter his pace and swing but he could well be pretty dangerous and might steal the show once again and came out as a star for Pakistan.

#1 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma batting in a match against Pakistan

India's skipper in the absence of Kohli for the Asia Cup, Rohit Sharma is another contender who could emerge as performer-of-the-match in the encounter against arch-rivals.

The 31 years old, Rohit has been opening the batting for India in limited-overs cricket for a long time now. He holds the record for highest individual score in ODI cricket as he went on to score 264 runs against SriLanka in 2014, which is still the most by any batsmen.

Rohit who averages 45 in ODI is also the only batsman in the world to have scored 3 double-centuries in One-day cricket.

Though he couldn't do much when India and Pakistan met last time, he would be hoping to make a mark this time around.

How he bats in the match would surely have the effect on the result of the encounter. Indian fans would like him to lead his team to victory while the Pakistanis want the opposite.