ADELAIDE: Ahmed Shehzad’s tumultuous start to his international cricket career is about to move to another level.

The 23-year-old Shehzad is set to start for Pakistan in its World Cup opener against India in Adelaide, an encounter that local organizers say will attract the biggest TV audience ever for a cricket match.

He was hit on the right forearm by a pace bowler during a practice session this week, but passed a fitness test Saturday and was expected to take his place at the top of the order in a match Pakistan is desperate to win to end an extraordinary World Cup losing streak against India.

He’ll have extra responsibility in the absence of veteran Mohammad Hafeez, who was ruled out of the tournament with a calf muscle injury.

“You could say he’s a match winner. He could really turn the game,” Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq said of Shehzad.

“So we’ll be really happy to have him in the squad because he got that sort of flair and that sort of, you could say, positive attitude that he could rise to the occasion and play a really good innings. He’s an important player for us.”

Shehzad has scored a century and two half-centuries in his last six one-day international innings.

He has averaged almost 35 in 58 ODIs, scoring six centuries. But he has never played an ODI in Australia, and has only played India once in the format.

His first trip to the World Cup could best be described as a learning experience — he played five matches during the 2011, all in Sri Lanka, scoring one on debut against Kenya and posting a highest score of 13.

Since then he has established himself in the team, and had to grow into the job.

Last year, he was cautioned by the Pakistan Cricket Board for violating his central contract by making religious remarks to Sri Lanka player Tillakaratne Dilshan.

In November, he was ordered to rest for three weeks after being hit in the head during a test series against New Zealand, a serious setback only a few months out from the World Cup.

Pakistan has never beaten India in a World Cup match, losing all five back to the first head-to-head at the showpiece event in 1992.

Misbah said most of his players won’t be bothered by that record, or the absence of some senior players who are missing the tournament due to injuries.

“It is about pressure and it is about the dressing room and what you are thinking about this game. You need to be really positive in these sorts of pressure games, and that’s how you can really perform well,” Misbah said. “Obviously senior players, experienced players and good performers are key to your team’s success ... (but) you should just focus on what you’ve got, and you need to believe that whatever you’ve got, that is the best.”

Shehzad has vowed to score plenty of runs in a bid to send his skipper Misbah and senior batsman Younes Khan off with a World Cup.

“I want to win the World Cup and dedicate it to Misbah and Younes Khan,” Shehzad said before leaving for Australia.