Welcome to the coverage of the T20 World Cup 2024 match between India and Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, in New York, on Sunday.
A confident and well-adjusted India would look to capitalise on an unpredictable Pakistan's vulnerable state and lack of familiarity with the tricky conditions in New York.
The marquee game will be held at the newly constructed 34,000-seater Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, where the pitch has been a big talking point.
The pitch already faced significant criticism for its unpredictability with batters struggling in the first four games held at this venue.
The four drop-in pitches at the venue, laid in April under the supervision of Adelaide Oval groundsman Damian Hough, are yet to settle down properly.
The uneven bounce of the surface has also raised safety concerns for the batters, especially after Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was hit on his shoulder, forcing him to stop batting during his team's first match against Ireland on June 5.
The Pakistan team, however, is yet to acclimatise to the conditions at Nassau Stadium.
They arrived in New York on Thursday night following their shocking defeat to tournament debutants USA and took the next day off.
As a result, Babar Azam and his squad have had limited time to adjust to these challenging conditions, which could be a disadvantage heading into this crucial encounter.
A defeat against India could significantly complicate their qualification prospects. Against Ireland, the Indian think-tank left out left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav from the playing XI and opted for an extra specialist fast bowler.
However, given Kuldeep's recent form and his favourable match-ups against Pakistani batters, especially Babar, the team management might consider including him.
If so, one out of Axar Patel or Ravindra Jadeja may have to sit out. The batting is more or less settled with Rohit and Virat Kohli expected to continue as openers and Rishabh Pant taking the No.3 slot.
Pakistan, on the other hand, would be hoping to get their act together after the opening shock loss against USA.
With conditions helpful for seamers as pointed out by India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah after the Ireland game, it won't be a surprise if the lethal version of Pakistan's bowling attack led by Shaheen Afridi decides to show up on Sunday and put the team's campaign back on track.