5 Pakistani cricketers who would have been terrific for India

The intensity of the India-Pakistan contest is unparalleled on the cricket field. The teams have contested multiple classics over the years and have left the audience gasping for more.

While the number of matches between the arch-rivals has come down considerably over time, there is no denying the fact that the build-up towards this contest still produces goosebumps. A good case in point in this regard was the Asia Cup 2022 clash last Sunday, August 28, with the game going down to the wire.

The rivalry and thrilling match-ups aside, one wonders how it would have been had some of the players across the two sides played together. Pakistan has always been renowned for producing an assembly line of fast bowlers, while India has, over time, produced multiple batting superstars across eras.

On that note, let's look at five Pakistani players whose skillsets would have seen them fit into the Indian team like a glove in a parallel universe.

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#1 Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram is arguably the greatest left-arm seamer to have graced this game. With over 900 international wickets, the 'Sultan of Swing' was a lethal proposition to face, with his double-whammy in the 1992 ODI World Cup final against England etched in the minds of fans around the world.

A master exponent of both conventional and reverse-swing, Akram played in a golden era of fast bowling in the 1990s for Pakistan. A player of his skillset would have further boosted India's bowling unit in that era. Tantalizing to think of a combination of him and Javagal Srinath from either end, right?

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#2 Khushdil Shah

Apart from his ability to strike the ball long, Khushdil Shah is a useful bowler with his ever-improving left-arm spin. If anything, the current Indian team lacks enough players possessing his skillset.

While Ravindra Jadeja is easily one of the finest all-rounders of this generation, his strike-rate in the middle overs against spin has been worrisome. With the composition of the Men in Blue craving the presence of a left-handed batter and an additional bowling option, Khushdil would have fit the bill in a utopian world.

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#3 Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pace and swing with the new ball and a lethal yorker at the death, Shaheen Shah Afridi has it all. Simply put, he can walk into any team around the globe given how lethal he is to face from a batter's point of view.

So much so that he rocked a solid Indian top order at the T20 World Cup last year, paving the way for Pakistan to break their duck against the Men in Blue in senior World Cup cricket across formats. In a Utopian world, the prospect of watching Shaheen from one end and Jasprit Bumrah from the other end would be quite the treat.

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#4 Faheem Ashraf

All-rounder Faheem Ashraf is quite easily one of the most underrated cricketers doing the rounds. While he isn't the quickest seamer on the circuit, he makes up for it with his smarts and consistency, while also being a useful option with the bat.

A look at any Indian team in Hardik Pandya's absence points towards a gaping hole in the side. A left-handed batter and reliable seam bowler, Ashraf's skillsets would fit the Men In Blue like a glove across all formats.

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#5 Shoaib Akhtar

During his playing days, Shoaib Akhtar was the fastest bowler to do the rounds and was beyond doubt, a menace to face. His strong build, muscular frame and sheer velocity sent stumps flying at will, making him a breathtaking sight to behold.

The early noughties saw Indian cricket enter the post Javagal Srinath-era. It took Zaheer Khan some time to establish himself as the team's bona fide leader, but a tearaway quick was a missing piece in the team's jigsaw.

In an alternate universe, Akhtar's pace would have given the attack a well-rounded look and made it one of the finest of the time.

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