Asia Cup 2022: 3 Pakistan players who could surprise India

India and Pakistan are set to face each other in their opening match of the Asia Cup 2022 on Sunday, August 28. The last time the two countries played each other in a marquee tournament was during the T20 World Cup last year.

Pakistan emerged as outright winners on that occasion, breaking their winless streak against India in World Cup matches. The two sides have met 14 times in the Asia Cup, with India winning eight of those encounters while their arch-rivals emerged as victors in five. One of those games ended with no result.

The excitement is always at an all-time high when these two sides take to the field to battle against each other. They are in the same group for the Asia Cup and there is a chance that they could face each other thrice over the course of the tournament.

Babar Azam's side have been dealt a couple of crucial injury blows with Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Jr ruled out due. While they will be greatly missed by the team, there will be an opportunity for others to spring a surprise.

Pakistan have shown themselves over the years as a team that can always spring a surprise. The abundance of talented young players they seem to have often leads to emergence of new stars on the big stage.

So, with the game against India fast approaching, the question arises: who will rise to the challenge of stopping the mighty Indians this time. Let's take a look at three Pakistan players who could surprise India in their opening encounter of the Asia Cup.

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#1 Naseem Shah

With injuries to Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Jr, Pakistan will need someone to step up alongside Haris Rauf. While Hasan Ali has been included in the squad, Naseem Shah could be one to watch out for in the tournament.

He was first added to the Pakistan squad at the age of 16 and made his international debut in 2019. The 19-year-old has been part of franchise tournaments around the globe, making his presence felt more often than not.

In the recent ODI series against the Netherlands, Naseem became the first Pakistani bowler to take 10 wickets in the first three ODIs of career. With his express pace and accuracy, the Quetta Gladiators star will look to make his mark in the Asia Cup.

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#2 Khushdil Shah

Last week, Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal spoke about the threat of Khushdil Shah. The all-rounder has been one of Pakistan's most exciting players in their domestic circuit, putting in noticeable performances with both bat and ball.

He scored 153 runs in the PSL last year, averaging 25.50 with a strike rate of 182.14. With the ball as well, he took 16 wickets at an economy rate of 6.89. Batting as a floater in the middle order, he could really do some damage against India in the Asia Cup.

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#3 Asif Ali

Asif Ali has been identified as one of his country's most exciting power-hitters in recent times. With the absence of Shoaib Malik, who was a reliable finisher for the team over the course of many years, it's time for Ali to step up and fill those boots.

The power-hitter put in some noticeable performances during the T20 World Cup last year, especially against Afghanistan and New Zealand. He has a strike rate of 151 in T20 cricket and is one of those players who can singlehandedly take his side to victory on his day.

With the Indian team missing Jasprit Bumrah due to injury, Khushdil could cause a lot of damage in the death overs. Indian bowlers will need to be at their best while finishing the innings against Pakistan.