Manchester: After having their last fixture against New Zealand washed out, the Indian team will be raring to take the field when they face arch-rivals Pakistan in the most anticipated clash of the ongoing World Cup at the Old Trafford on Sunday. Against Pakistan, India have a perfect record as they have won all their six encounters in the previous
editions of the showpiece event and thus, Virat Kohli's men would be brimming with confidence considering their past record against the arch-rivals. However, it would not be that easy this Sunday as they would be without the services of their in-form opener Shikhar Dhawan.
The opener was injured during the match-winning knock he played against Australia at The Oval in London on June 9. He has been sidelined for at least two-three matches with a fractured thumb. In his absence, KL Rahul will open the innings with seasoned campaigner Rohit Sharma. Kohli would be hoping that the duo give them a solid start and lay the platform for him and the other batsmen in the middle-order. India's bowling has also been pretty good with all the four bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, among the wickets.
Pakistan, on the other hand, would be aiming to break the jinx and secure their first World Cup victory against India. However, it would require a formidable performance for the 1992 champions to overcome Kohli's men. Going by the record and form of both the teams, the odds look completely in favour of India but Pakistan, capable of beating any opposition on their day, will look to replicate their 2017 Champions Trophy final performance. However, one thing which can ruin the mood of both the players and the fans is rain. The weather forecast for Sunday is not great and there are chances of rain in the afternoon which can play a big role in the result of the match.
Weather conditions
As for the weather conditions in Manchester on Sunday, Accuweather predicts that it will be overcast throughout the day, with rainfall expected as the day progresses. As per Accuweather also predicts a light shower between 12 pm local time and 1 pm local time in Manchester on Sunday. Though weather can change at any time in UK, cricket fans will be hoping the rain stays away for India and Pakistan to have a full 50-over match. On the day of the epic India vs Pakistan clash, the Manchester region is expected to witness light showers from early morning. The sun is expected to come out after that and stay till about 2 pm in the afternoon. Rain is, however, likely to interrupt second half of India vs Pakistan match.
