Group A, Centurion Park. Match starts 0800 GMT on Saturday. Live on BBC Radio Four and Five Live extra.
The World Cup clash between India and Pakistan has been billed as the biggest match of the tournament so far.
History has shown the rivalry between the neighbouring countries is the fiercest in world cricket and this latest encounter is certain to add fuel to the fire.
Pakistan tend to blow hot one
day and cold the other
India captain Sourav Ganguly
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Not only will both sides be looking for a win to delight their passionate support, but four points would also boost their respective chances of qualifying for the Super Six stage.
The Group A table is incredibly tight with England and Zimbabwe vying with Pakistan and India for the two remaining qualifying spots available.
For India, defeat may just dent their pride rather than World Cup hopes, but for Pakistan losing to their arch-rivals would effectively spell the end of their campaign.
And with history against them - they were beaten by India at the 1992 and 1999 tournaments - Pakistan will be looking to their key men for inspiration.
Paceman Shoaib Akhtar, who has taken 10 wickets at 18 runs apiece, is a player able to provide that spark.
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Group A at a glance
Aus P 5 W 5 R/R 2.49 Pts 20
Ind P 5 W 4 R/R 1.28 Pts 16
Eng P 5 W 3 R/R 1.07 Pts: 12
Pak P 4 W 2 R/R 0.39 Pts: 8
Zim P 4 W 2 R/R -0.09 Pts 8
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The Rawalpindi Express is part of a potent Pakistan attack that will be seeking to exploit an Indian batting line-up which has only recently come to life, thanks mainly to Sachin Tendulkar.
"I am going to bowl really quick against the
Indians," said Shoaib, who delivered a 100mph ball against England.
"I am fired up for the match and I will go flat out. If I
get my rhythm right, I am not going to let the Indian batsmen have an easy time, even Sachin."
India captain Sourav Ganguly would do well to heed those words of warning having crashed to 120 all out against Australia on the same pitch earlier in the World Cup.
India's aim will be to keep wickets in hand through the middle overs and make as many runs as possible in the last 10 - a plan, the skipper fears, may be scuppered by Shoaib and co.
"Our biggest problem is Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar," said Ganguly.
"I regard Wasim as the best left-arm swing bowler in the
world. He is a magician - he can make the ball talk."
The India captain, who returned to form with the bat when he made 112 against Namibia, was also quick to play down significance of playing Pakistan.
"I am not feeling any more responsible than I already am,
because it is a game after all," he added.
"It's just like playing against Zimbabwe, Australia, England or
any other side.
"Our approach will be the same. Pakistan tend to blow hot one
day and cold the other. And we don't want to be caught on the wrong
side.
" A score of 250 could be a winning total judging by the way our bowlers have been bowling."
Ganguly told BBC Hindi he is likely to stick with the same team that beat England so convincingly in Durban on Wednesday.
Pakistan (from):
Waqar Younis (capt), Saeed Anwar, Taufeeq Umar, Saleem Elahi,
Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Abdur
Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Wasim Akram, Rashid Latif, Mohammad Sami,
Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq.
India (from):
Sourav Ganguly (capt), Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sachin
Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer
Khan, Ashish Nehra, Dinesh Mongia, Parthiv Patel, Sanjay Bangar,
Ajit Agarkar, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif.
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