IND vs PAK: “Hardik Pandya’s Wicket Was Very Crucial At That Time” – Shaheen Afridi

Pakistan left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi stated that Indian vice-captain Hardik Pandya’s dismissal was crucial during the third match of the ongoing Asia Cup 2023. Shaheen Afridi highlighted that they were in a good position to win the second consecutive match in the tournament.

Shaheen Afridi dismissed Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (4) for low scores to restrict the opposition to 27-2 in five overs. The young left-arm pacer picked up Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja’s wickets in his final spell. He ended up with bowling figures of 4/35 in his 10-over quota.

We Can’t Do Anything About The Weather – Shaheen Afridi

In a video shared by Pakistan’s cricket on the Official X (Twitter) handle, Shaheen Afridi said that the Babar Azam-led team could have won had the weather not intervened.

“After the big partnership, Hardik Pandya’s wicket was very crucial at that time. Had the match happened, the result was in our hands, but we can’t do anything about the weather. Overall, our performance was good,” Shaheen said.

Hardik Pandya came to the crease with India at 66/4 in 14.1 overs. The star all-rounder added a crucial 138-run partnership with Ishan Kishan (82) for the fifth wicket. Following Hardik’s dismissal, India lost their last four wickets for only 27 runs.

Virat Kohli Is A Great Player – Shaheen Afridi

Afridi expressed his satisfaction with his performance, highlighting that he tried to provide breakthroughs with the new ball. He emphasized the importance of Virat Kohli’s wicket, saying he had a good record against them.

“I tried my best to give the team breakthroughs with the new ball and I managed to get two main wickets,” Afridi added.

“Virat Kohli is a great player given the runs he has scored. He has scored a lot of runs against Pakistan. It was a crucial wicket for us. We weren’t getting help with the old ball and had Kohli been set, then he would have made it tough for us. He is the backbone of the Indian team,” he concluded.

The Rohit Sharma-led team put up a total of 266 runs on the board after opting to bat first at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, September 2. However, the match was called off as the rain didn’t allow the second innings to take place.

Also read: IND vs PAK: Fans Slam S Badrinath After He Trolls Rohit Sharma For His Dismissal Against Shaheen Afridi

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