Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were slammed for their performances in the India vs Pakistan Asia Cup Super 4 match in Dubai. (AP)Pakistan’s prime pacers came under the spotlight yet again after their six-wicket defeat to India in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours, with former Gujarat captain PriyanK Panchal labelling Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf as overhyped players.
After going wicket-less in the league-stage clash against India in Dubai last week, Shaheen had another forgettable outing with the ball. The left-arm pacer spilt 40 runs in 3.5 overs as India gunned down a 172-run target with seven balls to spare.
The 35-year-old Panchal, who announced his retirement from all forms of cricket earlier this year, made a scathing assessment of Shaheen’s dipping consistency levels and said the First-Class circuit produced bowlers of better reputation.
“I’ll always fail to understand the hype around Shaheen Afridi. Classic case of a few good deliveries years ago lengthening someone’s faltering career. No zip, no pace, no discipline. I’ve seen first-class bowlers deliver better spells with more consistency,” Panchal wrote on X.
I’ll always fail to understand the hype around Shaheen Afridi. Classic case of a few good deliveries years ago lengthening someone’s faltering career. No zip, no pace, no discipline. I’ve seen first-class bowlers deliver better spells with more consistency. #INDvPAK
— Priyank Panchal (@PKpanchal09) September 21, 2025
A domestic heavyweight of more than 8000 FC runs, Panchal did not mince words when he also slammed Shaheen’s pace partner Rauf, whose animated chatter with India openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma backfired in the form of a hefty 105-run opening partnership.
“I struggle to remember the last time Haris Rauf was effective. All talk, no play. Whole of Pakistani team is built on players hyped up internally by their ecosystem, who fizzle out internationally. False bravado can only take you so far in a game rewarding meritocracy,” wrote Panchal in another X post.
Though Rauf returned the wickets of India skipper Suryakumar Yadav and wicket-keeper Sanju Samson in the second half of the chase, the combustive opening stand between Gill and Abhishek lightened the load of the chase in a canter. Pakistan will next face Sri Lanka on Tuesday to keep their final hopes alive while India will aim to seal their slot in the summit clash with a win over Bangladesh in Dubai on Wednesday.
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