Pakistan's captain Babar Azam, right, shakes hands with Indian captain Rohit Sharma after the Asia Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan was called off due to rain in Pallekele, Sri Lanka. (AP) Following their washed out match against India, Legendary Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar was full of praise for Pakistan’s fast-bowling unit – Shaheen Shah Afridi in particular – but felt Babar Azam’s captaincy left a little aggression lacking in letting the Indian middle order salvage a total of 266.
After the start Pakistan got – 66/4 in the 15th over – Akhtar said that they could have restricted India to a sub-200 score if they got two-over spells of fast bowling alongside a spinner to suppress the Indian middle order.
“When you have four early wickets, you shouldn’t let them play out the innings. Pakistan should have bowled them out by the 40th over given the start they got. India’s morale would have fallen, they could have departed for 170-200,” he said.
“A small mistake from Babar I feel,” he added. “15-17 overs by spinners in that situation, which I didn’t think was right. Attack should always be on. You need wickets, you’re not defending in that situation.”
In doing so, however, he also credited the classical ODI middle-order partnership of Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya. “Both of them have all kinds of strokeplay, but they are comfortable rotating strike, turning singled into doubles. It was a very solid, sensible innings, especially from Ishan Kishan.”
“India needed what they produced. Used their intelligence and did not defend too much, brought India back into the match by commanding the crease,” he said.
Following his four-wicket spell against India at the Asia Cup, Shaheen Afridi was in the receiving end on some words of high praise from Akhtar
“What a great spell by Shaheen, what a great bowler he is,” Akhtar said in a video he posted to his YouTube channel. “Everyone knows how he’s going to approach his bowling, bring the ball in, using swing and seam, but the Indian batsmen had no answers.”
After rain delayed the match midway into the fifth over, Afridi returned and immediately knocked over Rohit Sharma’s stumps with a brilliant in-swinger. Akhtar said the constant delays would have hampered the Indian batsmen’s focus, but took nothing away from Afridi.
“Shaheen Shah is a superstar,” he asserted.
“The bowling was very solid. Pakistan have got one of the best attacks. This is fast bowling at its best.”
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