Asia Cup 2022: "It's a huge blow to Pakistan's chances" - Aakash Chopra on Shaheen Afridi missing tournament

Aakash Chopra feels Shaheen Afridi's absence from the Asia Cup 2022 is a huge blow to Pakistan's chances in the tournament.

The Asia Cup will be played in the UAE from August 27 to September 11. Afridi is not part of Pakistan's squad for the tournament due to a knee injury.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that the tall left-arm pacer's absence would be a massive loss for Pakistan, saying:

"I think it's a huge blow to Pakistan's chances. I said the same thing about Bumrah as well. Jasprit Bumrah is not there, Harshal Patel is also not there, apart from him. So it was a twin blow for us."

While acknowledging that India have also been dealt a blow due to Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel's absence, Chopra believes their western neighbour's bowling has also been considerably weakened. The former India opener elaborated:

"When I see Arshdeep, Avesh Khan and Bhuvneshwar - the bowling attack looks a little weak. It is a fact, I am not hiding from it. But Pakistan also cannot hide from the fact. It is not that they do not have the bowling. They have a lot of options. Shadab Khan is batting well, but he is not getting those many wickets as a bowler."

Shadab Khan picked up just one wicket in the two ODIs he played in the recently concluded series against the Netherlands. The leg-spinner, who has not played a T20I this year, has scalped 73 wickets in the 64 shortest-format games he has played for Pakistan.

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"He has the pace but is expensive at times" - Aakash Chopra on Naseem Shah

Naseem Shah is yet to make his T20I debut.

Chopra highlighted that both Shahnawaz Dahani and Naseem Shah are strike weapons but can prove expensive. He observed:

"Shahnawaz Dahani can be very expensive but has the ability to pick up wickets. Naseem Shah made his ODI debut just now and gave a 'Man of the Match' performance. He has the pace but is expensive at times."

While acknowledging that Haris Rauf is a good bowler, Chopra pointed out that he is not in the same league as Afridi. The reputed commentator said:

"We have seen in the PSL that he (Shah) took four or five wickets in one game, but after that, he got hit in the next few matches. He is mercurial in nature, but accuracy is a problem. Haris Rauf is very good, no doubt, but he is not Shaheen Shah Afridi."

Chopra concluded by saying that Pakistan could feel the pinch a little more than India due to their respective premier pacers' absence. He reasoned that bowling is Babar Azam's side's strength, which is not the case with India, and they have lost the spearhead of their attack.