India’s ill-fated tryst with left-arm seamers was as soon as once more on show towards Pakistan of their 2023 Asia Cup opener because the ghost of Shaheen Shah Afridi haunted them but once more. The younger quick bowler had wreaked havoc of their 2021 T20 World Cup assembly, reminiscences of which left India to rent uncapped Indian left-arm pacer in Ankit Chaudhury as a web bowler throughout their six-day coaching camp for the continental occasion. However going through one of the crucial deadly modern-day white-ball bowlers, in essentially the most high-octane conflict, is a unique problem altogether. And the Indian top-order did not crack the code but once more. (India vs Pakistan Stay Rating, Asia Cup)
On Saturday, after opting to bat first, captain Rohit Sharma took India off to a promising begin as they scored 15/0 within the first 26 balls earlier than rain interrupted the proceedings on the Pallekele Stadium for the primary time. On resuming, Shaheen modified his technique as he seemed to extract from the pitch as dismissed Rohit with a pointy nip-backer within the very third ball. An over later, he bought the higher of Kohli, for the second time in his worldwide profession, when the legendary batter chopped the outside-off supply onto the stumps.
Shaheen, who finally completed with a four-wicket haul following the wickets of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja within the demise overs, was later requested to choose between the 2 prized wickets with the brand new ball after Pakistan folded India for 266 runs in 48.5 overs and the left-armer got here up with a mic-drop comment.
“I feel each (Virat and Rohit) had been essential wickets, each batter is identical for me. However I feel I favored Rohit’s wicket higher,” he mentioned.
The 2 wickets helped Shaheen script a stellar piece of ODI file. He grew to become the primary bowler ever to dismiss Kohli and Rohit bowled in the identical innings of an ODI match.
Shaheen finally completed with 4 for 35, his third greatest bowling determine in an ODI match.
For India, Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya had been the decide of the batters. The wicketkeeper-batter, who performed at No. 5 for the primary time ever and managed to get an opportunity within the XI after KL Rahul was dominated out, scored 82 off 81 whereas Hardik pulled off 87 off 90. The pair stitched a file 138-run stand that singled-handedly revived India from 66 for 4 to 204 for 5.
