IND vs PAK 2022: Top 10 funny memes after toss as Team India favors Dinesh Karthik over Rishabh Pant

Team India's Asia Cup 2022 campaign will kick off tonight with a high-octane clash against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday (August 28). Both teams last faced each other in a T20I during the 2021 T20I at the same venue last year, where Pakistan won comprehensively by 10 wickets.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma won the coin toss and expectedly chose to bowl first, which has been favorable in Dubai over the past few years. Flamboyant wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant missed out on a spot in the playing XI as the team management went with an experienced Dinesh Karthik in the middle-order.

Avesh Khan also found a place in the line-up as the third seamer ahead of a second frontline spinner. Pakistan handed a debut to 19-year-old pacer Naseem Shah. He will carry the fast bowling department responsibilities alongside Haris Rauf and Shahnawaz Dahani in the absence of Shaheen Afridi.

Here are the playing XIs:

India XI: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh

Pakistan XI: Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dahani

Fans took note of the team combinations after the toss and expressed their views in the form of hilarious memes. They were divided on Rishabh Pant's absence in the Indian playing XI as few sympathized with him while others felt that Dinesh Karthik was the better choice.

Here is a collection of the best memes after the toss:

Rishabh Pant not in the team

Urvashi Rautela:- https://t.co/7VPTJ6l8j1

Inke hath mai Ashwin ,Hooda doge fir bhi yeh Avesh ko select karenge #IndiaVsPakistan
#indvspak
#PAKvIND https://t.co/MlKr1uqylg

Rishab Pant misses out https://t.co/MafkNa7jMF

Urvashi Rautela in the stadium and Pant not playing today....please the irony 😭😭🤣🤣
https://t.co/2NkWX6l7Kj

Urvashi Rautela after seeing Pant has been dropped from playing 11 😬😜 #INDvPAK https://t.co/NxsjlEzROX

India wins the toss against Pakistan.
Pct fans be like..
#INDvsPAK https://t.co/C0haENSDxN

Today’s scene 👀😂 #AsiaCup2022 #INDvPAK #IndiaVsPakistan https://t.co/0lbJ2u17az

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Rishabh Pant dropped in ICT squad
Urvashi be like👇:
#INDvPAK #RishabhPant https://t.co/zDWHT8YPhi

India won the toss
Le Pakistanis:
#INDvsPAK https://t.co/arZ6ghPXrh

"We have prepared pretty well"- Team India all-rounder Hardik Pandya ahead of Pakistan clash

Speaking to Star Sports ahead of the match between India and Pakistan, Hardik Pandya shed light on the team's preparations for the game and expressed excitement in anticipation of the action on the park. The all-rounder said:

"We have prepared pretty well. It's a special game for us. We want to focus on the things we control. Excited and looking forward to the game. It has never been the case that I wanted to show but it is peaceful in my mind that I can do what I want. It gives me confidence and the team some confidence as well.

He continued:

"Knowing that they respect and value me gives me a lot of confidence going forward. We're here to enjoy the sport and not focus on the pressure. The pressure always comes when you're playing for India.

"The team management and staff deserve credit for giving the guys the freedom to express themselves."

At the time of writing, Pakistan have scored 19 runs in three overs, having lost one wicket.

Will batting second be an advantage for India in this contest? Sound off your opinions in the comments section.