India opener KL Rahul was bowled for a golden duck by debutant Pakistani speedster Naseem Shah in their Asia Cup 2022 encounter on Sunday. Rahul’s dismissal further reflected the fact that he still hasn’t gotten back into his rhythm at the international level after his return from a two-month injury layoff.
Rahul had returned after two months to the international arena on the Zimbabwe tour earlier this month. There he managed scores of 1 and 30; and now a duck vs Pakistan has compounded matters for him. He could be seen shaking his head as walking back to the dugout, unhappy and upset with himself.
KL Rahul was trolled heavily by fans on Twitter
On his debut, Naseem Shah was right on the money, taking the new ball in the absence of the injured Shaheen Afridi.
On his second ball, after Rohit Sharma had taken a single on the first, Naseem accounted for KL Rahul’s dismissal with a back-of-length delivery that was outside the off-stump to which KLR went with a casual defensive shot, and was late on the ball – a sign of lack of match time – and eventually chopped it onto his stumps.
The lights of the bails and stumps went up and on went Naseem Shah on his celebratory run-up surrounded by his Pakistani teammates.
After that Naseem almost had Virat Kohli but the batsman was dropped at second slip by Fakhar Zaman.
Fans on Twitter trolled KL Rahul heavily for his golden duck tonight:
Wicket off just his second delivery!
KL Rahul is Naseem Shah’s maiden T20I wicket
#AsiaCup2022 | #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/bJhmJYtktg
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 28, 2022
KL Rahul’s contribution in today’s match.#INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/OZ58NiDmIr
— Krishna (@Atheist_Krishna) August 28, 2022
KL rahul is biggest scam in Indian team , kick this mc asap
— time square
(@time__square) If choking is an art then Kl Rahul is the artist, What a loser. pic.twitter.com/T001Tlc32P
— Shlok (@aegonaryaa) August 28, 2022
This was KL Rahul’s first ball in T2OIs in 2022#INDvsPAK #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/k1kwnbUfwY
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) August 28, 2022
Rahul never contributed for India neither in cricket nor in politics.
— Anubhav (@anubhav_b0ss) August 28, 2022
Golden Duck, the need of the hour.
KL Rahul you beuty— TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) August 28, 2022
KL Rahul is Biggest Fraud in Indian Cricket
I REPEATKL Rahul is Biggest Fraud in Indian Cricket
— Amit Kumar (@AMIT_GUJJU) August 28, 2022
kl rahul has 0 iconic knocks at the age of 30
— Mikhail (@SellTerStegen) August 28, 2022
Rishabh Pant and Deepak Hooda watching KL Rahul coming back to pavellion pic.twitter.com/dV1hcnkcxO
— Aditya Sen (@AdityaSen0007) August 28, 2022
If choking is an art then KL Rahul is a Picasso of it. #INDvPAK #PAKvIND #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/H1frXX0yGQ
— The Lost Guy (@TheLostGuy_) August 28, 2022
Indians watching Naseem Shah taking wick of KL Rahul#INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/SJFGfPvJWe
— Bhatkela (@Bhatkela) August 28, 2022
@SDhawan25 is 100 Time’s better than KL Rahul as an opener!
Do you agree ?#KLRahul #INDvsPAK #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/IFD4YnSYSt— shibin (@shibi_meppayour) August 28, 2022
Dear KL Rahul: Shah is Shah, Whether it’s Shaheen Shah or Naseem Shah
— Absolutely Not (@Ikpti110) August 28, 2022
Camera turns towards Shaheen as soon as Naseem bowls Kl Rahul in first over, love to see it
— Osama. (@ashaqeens) August 28, 2022
Shaheen shah enjoyed KL Rahul wicket again
— Ejaz Wasim Bakhri (@ejazwasim) August 28, 2022
KL Rahul’s participation in this match!
#INDvsPAK #PAKvIND #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/kj1w5yVk4A
— The Dude (@PuntingDude) August 28, 2022
Hardik 3-for, 4 for Bhuvneshwar bundle Pakistan for 147
Earlier in the game, India had a grip over Pakistan’s innings right from the start as Bhuvneshwar Kumar bounced out Pakistani captain Babar Azam early in the game. After that Indian bowlers used the short ball to good effect – the first five Pakistani wickets all fell to short and short-of-length deliveries, three of them were taken by Hardik Pandya.
Pandya dismissed Rizwan, Iftikar and Khushdil to break the back of Pakistan’s batting. Later on Bhuvneshwar cleaned up things nicely – with wickets of Asif Ali, Shadab Khan and Naseem – along with a brace from Arshdeep Singh to keep Pakistan under 150.
