IND vs PAK: Less than 10 days are left for the mouth-watering clash between India and Pakistan at the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. The two sides will meet the iconic MCG.
One question remains for the Indian team management and the billion fans: how will the Indian top-order to tackle the Shaheen Afridi threat? Afridi had missed the Asia Cup 2022 due to knee injury, but now the pacer has been declared fit and will compete in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has a piece of advice for the Indian top order. The two-time ICC World Cup winner suggested Indian batters to not play Afridi timidly, to not look to just survive, but in fact, turn on the attacking mode and look to score runs.
“When it comes to Shaheen Afridi, don’t look to survive. Look to score runs from him. Because the moment you look to survive, everything becomes really small. Whether it’s your backlift, whether it’s your footwork, and obviously, in T20 cricket you can’t look to survive,” said Gautam Gambhir on ‘Game Plan’ show on Star Sports.
“I know that he can be dangerous with the new ball, but again, irrespective, the Indian batters need to score more runs, get into better positions, and look to time the balls rather than to hit it. India will be fine because India has got the quality in their top 3 or 4 who can definitely take on Shaheen Shah Afridi.”
Last year in the fixture at the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 in Dubai, Shaheen Afridi was the wrecker-in-chief as he dismissed Indian openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in the powerplay and the then skipper Virat Kohli later in the innings to restrict India to 151, which Pakistan chased down inside 18 overs with all 10 wickets in hand.
Pakistani fans trolled Gautam Gambhir for his advice to Indian top order to face Shaheen Afridi in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022:
— Zohaib Tasawar (@ZohaibTasawar2) October 13, 2022
But to be honest there was no way Rohit could attack Shaheen in 2021. Perfect Yorker, he may try to do that again 🧐
— Letsgobabysuu (@letsgoobabyyy) October 13, 2022
In order to score against shaheen they must survive first, isn’t it?
— Saleem (@DEEPRISER) October 13, 2022
Rohit n rahul are like…. pic.twitter.com/WwgVKvSpkr
— Bella Ciao (Chai) (@punjabiii_munda) October 13, 2022
Ooooh and to whom did India lose the Asia cup semi final
— Abdillah Aboud (@aboud_abdillah) October 13, 2022
Also, former India pacer Irfan Pathan detailed out the importance of gauging the MCG ground dimension well for the batters. “Look, one thing is clear. When you play at the MCG, the straight boundaries are not that big. It’s the side boundaries that are massive. Obviously, India needs to be smart, especially the batting,” Pathan said.
“Probably, it will be difficult to hit the side boundaries, so they have to play the gaps and probably convert the twos into threes and ones into twos, because running between the wickets will be very important.”
