Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi bamboozles Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli

Sub-heading 1 – Afridi’s Spectacular Performance

Opening his account in the high-profile encounter, Afridi bowled to the Indian skipper on a length around the off before the ball nipped back in to break the batter’s defence. The deadly delivery rattled the off stump as Rohit was dismissed for 11 off 22 balls.

• Shaheen Shah Afridi’s magical delivery dismisses Rohit Sharma

Sub-heading 2 – Kohli’s Dismissal Critiqued

Giving Afridi his second big wicket in the blockbuster encounter, Kohli played the Pakistani speedster onto his stumps. This was the second time that Kohli was dismissed by pacer Afridi in international cricket.

• Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer criticizes Kohli’s shot execution

Sub-heading 3 – Middle-order Batters’ Fightback

After Afridi rattled the Indian top order, the record-time Asia Cup winners bounced back through Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya as the middle-order batters recorded a crucial 138-run stand against Pakistan. Kishan (82) and Pandya’s (87) batting exploits lifted Rohit’s India to 266 in 48.5 overs.

• Afridi’s sensational performance with four wickets

Sub-heading 4 – No Result Due to Rain

Afridi also removed Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja to emerge as the pick of the bowlers. The Pakistani pacer bagged four wickets and leaked 35 runs in 10 overs. After Pakistan bowled out India for 266 in 48.5 overs, rain forced a no result in the Asia Cup clash as points were shared in the first Indo-Pak encounter at Asia Cup 2023. Rohit’s Team India next play Asia Cup debutants Nepal in their final Group A fixture at the same venue on on Tuesday.