The match of the tournament, for a majority of fans here in the UAE, arrives on the second day as defending champions India take on arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening group match of the ICC Under-19 World Cup at Dubai International Stadium.
India, who have won all four series since their victory in the 2012 edition of the U19 World Cup in Australia, and Pakistan are the pre-tournament favourites, but have had a contrasting build-up to the event.
While Pakistan won both their warm-up matches (to Australia and the UAE), India lost both (to Sri Lanka and South Africa). The team had also lost its U-19 Asia Cup group match on December 31 last year to Pakistan.
And yet, the Vijay Zol-led Indians will not be short on confidence, which comes mainly from a convincing win in the final of the Asia Cup against the same opponents in Sharjah.
The one thorn in India’s side has been the consistency with which Pakistan captain Sami Aslam has scored runs against them. In the Asia Cup, Aslam notched up 108 and 87 in the two matches.
Containing Aslam and trying to get him out early will be the key for India, who also seemed to have an upper hand over their rivals when it came to ground fielding.
Both captain Zol and vice-captain Sanju Samson got centuries in the final of the Asia Cup, but it would be of utmost importance for India that they get a good, positive start, and the man capable of providing them that is wicketkeeper-batsman Ankush Bains.
With the batsmen failing to get going in the practice matches, the pressure will be on them.
TEAMS
India U19s (from): Vijay Zol (c), Akhil Herwadkar, Ankush Bains (wk), Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Ricky Bhui, Sarfaraz Khan, Deepak Hooda, Avesh Khan, Aamir Gani, Chama Milind, Kuldeep Yadav, Atit Sheth, Monu Kumar, Karan Kaila
Pakistan U19s (from): Sami Aslam (c), Imamul- Haq, Hasan Raza, Saud Shakeel, Kamran Ghulam, Ameer Hamza (wk), Imran Rafiq, Zafar Gohar, Mohammad Umair, Karamat Ali, Zia-ul-Haq, Irfanullah Shaikh, Safiullah Khan, Mohammad Aftab, Amad Butt. Live on OSN Sports 4, 09:30 onwards
FIXTURES
Today (Matches start 09:30)
Group C
India v Pakistan (Dubai International Cricket Stadium)
Scotland v PNG (ICC Academy 1, Dubai)
Group B
Australia v Namibia (Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi)
Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi Oval 2)
