India and Pakistan have been involved in some memorable T20I matches ever since the high-octane encounters in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup. Both teams have gone on to win the T20 World Cup and have produced some iconic performances in the shortest format of the game.

Over the years, India and Pakistan have managed to produce an array of superstars. Despite not facing each other in bilateral series, their clashes at major tournaments have turned out to be blockbusters.

When Babar Azam was asked to pick a combined India-Pakistan XI, the Pakistan superstar quickly opted for the T20I format.

Babar Azam, while speaking to sports presenter Harsha Bhogle for Cricbuzz, picked Rohit Sharma as the opener of the India-Pakistan combined XI and slotted himself as the second opener.

There were no second thoughts as he picked Virat Kohli as his No. 3 without any doubts. At No. 4, Babar picked Shoaib Malik, one of the longest-serving Pakistan all-rounders going around.

MS Dhoni was an obvious choice in Babar’s India-Pakistan XI while he picked all-rounder Shadab Khan before picking India all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

As expected, there were more Pakistan fast bowlers than their Indian counterparts in Babar’s India-Pakistan XI as he picked Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Amir before naming Jasprit Bumrah in the XI.

Finally, Babar picked Kuldeep Yadav, the man who ended the Pakistan star’s stay in the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash at the 2019 World Cup with a classical leg-spinner.

Babar Azam’s India-Pakistan combined T20I XI
Rohit Sharma
Babar Azam
Virat Kohli
Shoaib Malik
MS Dhoni
Hardik Pandya
Shadab Khan
Mohammad Amir
Shaheen Afridi
Jasprit Bumrah
Kuldeep Yadav