Following Pakistan’s historic 10-wicket victory over India, teenage bowler Shaheen Afridi said that he had worked hard. On getting the ball back into the right-handers, which paid off handsomely against Virat Kohli’s team in Dubai on Sunday.
Shaheen, who bowled three overs in the powerplay for the first time. It was spot on early on, jolting India twice in his first two overs to give Pakistan a flying start.
“Yes, it was the first time I bowled three overs in the power play. The ball was moving a bit, the conditions helped and I tried to give early breakthroughs. It really paid off,” Shaheen told reporters in the post-match news conference here.
However, the 21-year-old dismissed Rohit Sharma in his fourth over with a toe-crushing inswinging yorker. Before removing KL Rahul in his second over with a peach of a delivery.
“It’s my strength to bowl with the new ball and make early breakthroughs.” That was, of course, our strategy, and it worked.
“I was certain that if I got a little swing or dip early on, I’d be able to get him out. Everything went according to plan.”
He also stated that his skipper, Babar Azam, has his complete support after taking 2/19 in three overs and returning at the death to remove Virat Kohli.
“He always wants to bowl with me… Yes, that was part of the team’s strategy for me to bowl the first over, followed by Imand Wasim. My goal was to provide early breakthroughs for the team, and it paid off.”
After India’s shaky start, Kohli settled in and hit Shaheen for six in his third over.
Returning to action in the penultimate over, he finally trumped Kohli with a slower off-cutter, mistiming a pull and gifting a top-edge to Mohammad Rizwan to dismiss him for 57 off 49 balls.
“I was going to fire Virat, but he’s the best player in the world.” Babar and Virat bat identically.
Babar Azam
As such, I just bowled how I used to bowl Babar in the nets.” I couldn’t get the swing on my third over, so I tried to hit the excellent length or bowl a slower cutter. Wickets are helping some spin, and pacers are benefiting because the ball is gripping, making it difficult for batsmen to go for big scores at the finish.
“Rotation is the key here, like Kohli and our openers played. All credit to them — Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan — and the way they finished the match,” he said
Pakistan reached the 152-run goal in 18 overs, with both Azam and Rizwan hitting unbeaten half-centuries, handing India their first T20I defeat by a 10-wicket margin.
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