• India will square off with Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Saturday.

  • Naseem Shah and Rishabh Pant have been ruled out of the ODI World Cup 2023 due to respective injuries.

World Cup 2023: No Rishabh Pant and Naseem Shah for India vs Pakistan clash! Who will Bollywood diva Urvashi Rautela cheer for?
Naseem Shah, Urvashi Rautela, Rishabh Pant (Photo Source: Twitter)

Less than 24 hours remain for the start of the much-awaited India versus Pakistan clash at the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Hosts India will take on their arch-rivals Pakistan in the eleventh match of the tournament at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday.

India will be without the services of wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, while Pakistan will miss their swing sensation Naseem Shah.

Injuries to Naseem Shah and Rishabh Pant

Naseem’s participation in the ODI World Cup was halted owing to a shoulder injury. The 20-year-old sustained an injury during the match against India at the 2023 Asia Cup. He underwent a recent surgery, which is projected to facilitate a full recovery within three to four months.

Meanwhile, Pant encountered various injuries on December 30 the previous year when his car collided with a divider and veered across the road. Currently undergoing a rehabilitation program at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, Pant is anticipated to return to the game sometime in the following year.

Rishabh Pant and Naseem Shah’s connection with Urvashi Rautela

In 2020, speculations were rife that Rishabh is dating Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela. The couple allegedly split up, and the cricketer allegedly blocked the actress on Instagram and WhatsApp. There has been no confirmation from either party about the nature of their relationship.

Also READ: World Cup 2023 – IND vs PAK ODI World Cup Stats and records | Head to Head, Most runs, Most Wickets, Most sixes & much more

Last year, Urvashi shared a fan-edit video with Naseem on her Instagram handle. When asked about the connection, the cricketer denied it entirely and said he did not know the actress at all. However, during a press conference earlier this year, the bowler was asked what message he would like to give to Urvashi. Replying to the query, Naseem said, “Agar main message dunga, toh aaplog viral toh aaplog viral kar denge.” (If I send her a message, you guys will make it viral anyway.) This cryptic response has led to speculation that there may be more to the story than meets the eye.

Urvashi Rautela’s favourite cricketer

When quizzed about her favourite cricketer during a Q&A session on Instagram, Urvashi responded by saying, “I don’t watch cricket much, but I have deep respect for Sachin [Tendulkar] Sir & Virat [Kohli] sir.”

Urvashi Rautela with Virat Kohli's wax statue at Madame Tussauds
Urvashi Rautela with Virat Kohli’s wax statue at Madame Tussauds (Photo Source: Twitter)

Well, Urvashi has often been spotted at the cricket stadiums during the India-Pakistan matches. She last marked her attendance at the Dubai International Cricket Ground during the T20 World Cup.

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