India’s ongoing struggle against left-arm seamers was once again brought to the forefront during their Asia Cup encounter with Pakistan, as Shaheen Afridi wreaked havoc on their batting order. The Pakistan speedster claimed the prized wickets of Indian captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in quick succession, bringing back memories of their challenging encounter during the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma fell after contributing just 11 runs from 22 balls, marking the second time he succumbed to Afridi’s prowess in three encounters. Reflecting on Rohit’s underwhelming performance, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar commented that Afridi had successfully played mind games with him, prompting him to alter his stance, ultimately leading to his dismissal.
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“This isn’t the same Rohit Sharma. This is his stunt double. Shaheen Afridi has gotten into his head. I’ve never seen him change his stance, but what happened there? He changed his stance, got beaten, and got bowled. Shaheen is subconsciously in his mind. This is the kind of pressure an IND vs. PAK match exerts on players,” said Shoaib Akhtar during Star Sports’ Game Plan.
Rohit Sharma, however, bounced back with a stellar performance against Nepal in their second fixture. He delivered an outstanding innings, scoring an unbeaten 74* runs from 59 balls, including six fours and five sixes. In partnership with Shubman Gill (67 off 62), he orchestrated an unbroken match-winning stand of 147 runs from 121 balls.
Their collaboration enabled India to chase down the DLS revised target of 145 in just 20.1 overs without losing a wicket, securing their place in the Super 4 stage.
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As India and Pakistan prepare to face off once more in the Asia Cup Super 4 stage at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, on Sunday, September 10, Rohit Sharma will be eager to make a significant impact after a disappointing start. The upcoming game promises to be a fierce battle between the arch-rivals, with Rohit determined to shine with the bat against Pakistan.
