Vulnerable India look to halt Pakistan's progress

Never before in this decade have India gone into a T20 World Cup match against Pakistan with pressure on their back, and wind knocked out of their sails so early in the competition. It isn't doomsday yet for the Group A heavyweights, but Pakistan's opening day victory over reigning Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka followed by their own NRR-gutting 58-run loss at the hands of New Zealand has lent this otherwise superficial rivalry some meaningful context. Come Sunday (October 6), a high-on-confidence Pakistan would be waiting to take a stab at wounded India in what is a landmark game for Dubai.

Given the conviction exhibited by the Indian management in its rejigged top-six in the build up to the tournament, any changes to their batting order could be perceived as a knee-jerk reaction after a shock opening defeat. It was, after all, a rare blip in an otherwise solid World Cup cycle for their batters led by Smriti Mandhana (703) and Shafali Verma (617) up top who both fare among the top-10 scorers in this period. However, with their campaign in a precarious spot and a turnaround time of under 48 hours between games, India would want their batters to hit their straps quickly. India could take a leaf out of New Zealand's book and look to