IND vs PAK: India Playing XI Revealed! Abhishek Replaces Samson; Kuldeep In For Arshdeep

India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup Match: India is set to swap pace for spin as Kuldeep Yadav returns, while a recovered Abhishek Sharma eyes his first T20 World Cup runs against the arch-rivals.

India vs Pakistan Cricket Match: India is set to face Pakistan with two changes: Abhishek Sharma replaces Sanju Samson after recovering from illness. Kuldeep Yadav will replace Arshdeep Singh, adding spin to exploit the slow Colombo pitch.

Source : PTI

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• Tactical spin attack planned for Colombo's slow pitch.

As the tension for India v. Pakistan clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium reaches its peak, Team India is reportedly preparing to unleash a new tactical blueprint. Suryakumar Yadav-led side is expected to make two critical changes to India's lineup that defeated Namibia.

With the slow, black-soil deck of Colombo favoring spin, India is banking on a rejuvenated attack to dismantle the Pakistani batting order.

Return of Abhishek Sharma

In a major boost to the top order, explosive opener Abhishek Sharma is set to reclaim his spot after missing the previous game due to a stomach infection.

Abhishek, who currently holds the world record as the fastest to hit 50 sixes in T20I cricket (achieved in 331 balls), showed no signs of fatigue during a high-intensity 30-minute net session on Saturday.

Replacing Sanju Samson, who failed to capitalize on his opportunity against Namibia, Abhishek will partner with Ishan Kishan.

The young left-hander enters IND-PAK Sunday game with massive confidence, having scored 314 runs in the 2025 Asia Cup, breaking Virat Kohli’s record for the most runs in a single T20 Asia Cup edition.

Kuldeep Yadav Over Arshdeep Singh

The second change is a purely tactical maneuver aimed at exploiting the used surface at the Premadasa Stadium. India is reportedly planning to bench left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh in favor of premier wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.

While Arshdeep has been a consistent performer, the management believes Kuldeep's mastery over Pakistani middle order, which has struggled against his variations in the past, is more critical on this grippy surface.

Kuldeep's record against Pakistan is nothing short of elite, boasting 23 wickets across formats with a staggering average of 12.56. On a track where spinners are expected to control the middle overs, his partnership with Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy could prove to be the decisive factor.

Probable India Playing 11 Against Pakistan Today

Position	Player
Openers	Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk)
Middle Order	Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya
Finishers	Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh
Spin Attack	Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy
Pace Spearhead