Deep Dasgupta, a former India wicketkeeper, praised Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi’s explosive new-ball spell. Both Indian openers were sent back in the powerplay by the youthful left-arm bowler, who later returned to take out Virat Kohli. For his efforts, Afridi was chosen player of the match.
As many had predicted, Rohit Sharma’s antipathy to left-arm fast bowling came true, although Dasgupta pointed out that he couldn’t have done anything to stop the delivery of such strength. Afridi’s entire delivery, which was close to the blockhole, trapped the opening LBW.
“To begin with, Shaheen Afridi’s spell was incredible. Upfront, there are two deliveries. There’s nothing you can do if you get the first delivery like that, and there’s nothing you can do if you have the first delivery like that. Even with KL Rahul, the ball came in somewhat, so those were fantastic deliveries. When you lose three wickets early in the game, it becomes extremely difficult to recover.”
KL Rahul
However, KL Rahul’s defense was pierced, and Afridi’s magnificent delivery castled him. As a result, when Kohli returned, he was caught behind in the final overs. This was the first time Pakistan has removed an Indian captain in a T20 World Cup match.
Dasgupta predicts that similar to the first 2007 edition of the T20 World Cup, the final will feature an India-Pakistan match. He pointed out that both teams have the best team to deal with these situations.
“I still feel we will see an India vs Pakistan final. I believe these are the 2 teams best equipped to deal with these conditions on offer. India will bounce back, that is for sure. Pakistan has the team to make it into the finals of the T20 World Cup.” Dasgupta added
Since its debut in the 2007 edition, India has never advanced to the finals of the competition. Pakistan, on the other hand, has only made two final appearances.
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