India vs Pakistan: Gautam Gambhir slams India's strange decision in Asia Cup 2023 match

The wait for the cricket fans to witness the high-profile IND vs PAK match is over as both the teams are facing each other on September 2 at the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy. The Indian team has won the toss and elected to bat first in the Asia Cup 2023 match. Till now both teams have faced each other 13 times in the ODI Asia Cup wherein Team India has been on the winning side on seven occasions. Pakistan have won the rest. 

3 things you need to know 

• The Asia Cup 2023 is being held under the 'hybrid model' in Sri Lanka and Pakistan 
• Pakistan thrashed Nepal by 238 runs in their opening match of the Asia Cup 2023 
• Team India have never lost an ODI match in Kandy 

ALSO READ | India Vs Pakistan LIVE Score, Asia Cup 2023 Latest Updates

Gautam Gambhir unhappy after Mohammed Shami's exclusion from Team India against Pakistan 

The Indian cricket team played with a combination of three seamers and two spinners against Pakistan in their opening match of the Asia Cup 2023. Pacer Mohammed Shami, who was making a comeback after being rested from the Windies tour, was excluded from the playing XI and Shardul Thakur was included in the team. 

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir seemed unhappy with the Indian team management's decision while speaking on Star Sports in the pre-match IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2023 match show, expressing his displeasure on excluding Shami from the team's playing XI. Gautam Gambhir said: 

See, I will never compromise my bowling, how many times will I win you a match against a number 8 batsman? And excluding a bowler like Shami? 

IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2023: Playing XI 

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Gill, Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Kishan (c), Hardik Pandya, Jadeja, Shardul Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Siraj

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Rizwan, Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Shaheen, Naseem Shah