The Pakistan cricket team has long been known for its formidable bowling attack, and Shaheen Shah Afridi is currently one of the most lethal bowlers in world cricket. He showcased his brilliance once again with a sensational yorker that rattled Rohit Sharma on Sunday, February 23, at the Dubai International Stadium. Chasing 242, India got off to a fine start with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill getting boundaries from every over.
However, Afridi got the better off the Indian skipper moments later after the chase began. Shaheen Afridi stands out as one of the most dangerous pacers in world cricket. He reaffirmed his reputation with a breathtaking yorker that dismissed Rohit Sharma on Sunday, February 23, at the Dubai International Stadium.
Watch - Axar Patel's bullet throw sends Imam-ul-Haq packing during IND vs PAK Champions Trophy clash
The delivery was a perfect response from Shaheen after being dispatched for a boundary just a ball earlier. He had been relentlessly searching for that deadly yorker since the first over of India's innings, and when he finally executed it, it was sheer perfection—full, fast, and viciously inswinging.
The ball snaked through the gap between bat and boot, crashing into Rohit’s middle stump, leaving the Indian skipper with no chance. Watch the video of the dismissal here...
It is not the first time Afridi has troubled Rohit early with the new ball. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, the left-arm fast bowler displayed extraordinary skills dismissing - Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul in his first game against India.
Earlier in the match, Indian bowlers were stunningly accurate but Pakistan managed to post a competitive 241 courtesy Saud Shakeel’s polished fifty and Khushdil Shah’s cameo.
Shakeel (62, 76b, 5x4) was largely fluent and added 104 runs for the third wicket with skipper Mohammad Rizwan (46), but Pakistan never really managed to break the shackles after opting to bat.
The pitch expectedly grew slow once the match entered the middle passage, and the precision of Indian bowlers made the run-making a laboured task with left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep led the way (3/40).
There was a period in Pakistan innings when both Rizwan and Shakeel failed to find the boundary rope for 55 consecutive deliveries. However, they were also forced to traverse a cautious path because of the early departure of Babar Azam (23) and Imam-ul-Haq (10).
India also had a couple of worrying points at this stage as veteran pacer Mohammed Shami and skipper Rohit Sharma had to stay off the field for some time.
Shami had to tend to his shin while Rohit looked in some discomfort primarily because of the heat here. However, both of them returned to the field to allay the concerns.
Amidst all this, Rizwan and Shakeel took Pakistan to 151 for two in the 34th over, and it was a burgeoning platform for them to aim for a total in the vicinity of 300. But Rizwan’s adventurous shimmy down the track against Axar saw him losing the stumps, and from thereon Pakistan went on a downward spiral.
Shakeel, who played the pull with some conviction, perished to the same shot against Pandya, skying a simple catch to Axar in the deep.
Thereon, Salman Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah fell to Kuldeep’s guile as India tightened their grip.
Khushdil (38, 39 balls) played a couple of big shots, including the first six of Pakistan innings, that helped his side reach a healthy total in challenging batting conditions. (With PTI inputs)
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
