Why is Mohammed Shami not playing today's India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 match?

Ace speedster Mohammed Shami has been left out of India's playing 11 for today's Super-Four clash between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo to make way for Jasprit Bumrah.

Bumrah played the first match of the tournament against Pakistan on September 2. However, he left Sri Lanka for Mumbai straight after to be with his wife, Sanjana Ganesan, and celebrate the birth of their first child, Angad.

Shami played India's next match - against Nepal - in Bumrah's absence and returned with figures of 1/29 runs in his seven overs. He dismissed Nepal's second-highest scorer on the day, Sompal Kami (48).

Bumrah has been selected over Shami based on his place in the pecking order in ODIs. The right-arm pacer has established himself as a wicket-taker in all three phases of the game and forms a good partnership with Mohammed Siraj.

Interestingly, Bumrah, who made his comeback from a long-troubling injury only a few weeks ago, is yet to bowl in the Asia Cup as India's bowling innings in the first match against Pakistan was washed out due to rain.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and opted to bowl first in Colombo. Rain is forecast for the second innings, but a controversial and exclusive reserve day has also been sanctioned for the game.

The right-arm pacer would want to improve his record against the Men in Green too. He has played six ODIs against them, picking up just four wickets at an average of 48.75 and a strike rate of 58.75, which are his worst figures against any opponent in the format.

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India's playing 11 in Mohammed Shami's absence

Apart from dropping Shami, India have made another change for the match - KL Rahul has come in for Shreyas Iyer who, according to captain Rohit Sharma, suffered a back spasm just before the match.

India's playing 11: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.