"Hardik Pandya’s wicket was very crucial at that time" - Shaheen Shah Afridi on denying the all-rounder a hundred in Asia Cup 2023

Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi feels Hardik Pandya's wicket was critical in the context of Saturday's Asia Cup 2023 clash in Kandy. Despite allowing India to post 266 after early wickets, the 23-year-old said they are satisfied with their performance.

Team India slipped to 66-4 as Shaheen and Haris Rauf didn't allow any of India's top-four batters to cross 20 runs. However, Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan put on 138 to put India back on track for a formidable total. Nevertheless, Shaheen denied Pandya a century by deceiving him with a slower ball to get him for 87.

Speaking in a video uploaded on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)'s social media, Shaheen expressed Pakistan did their best to get the result in their favor and opened up on his new-ball exploits.

He said:

"After the big partnership, Hardik Pandya’s wicket was very crucial at that time. Had the match happened, the result was in our hands, but we can’t do anything about the weather.

"Overall, our performance was good. I tried my best to give the team breakthroughs with the new ball and I managed to get two main wickets."

The left-arm pacer was lethal with the new ball as he dismissed Indian captain Rohit Sharma with an inswinger for 11, followed by getting Virat Kohli for four. With that, he became the first bowler to get the pair through the bowled form of dismissal in the same ODI innings.

"He has scored a lot of runs against Pakistan" - Shaheen Shah Afridi on Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli. (Image Credits: Twitter)

The youngster, who finished with figures of 10-2-35-4, felt if Virat Kohli had been set, he would have taken the game away from them as Pakistan pacers failed to get help with the old ball. On this, he said:

"Virat Kohli is a great player given the runs he has scored. He has scored a lot of runs against Pakistan. It was a crucial wicket for us. We weren’t getting help with the old ball and had Kohli been set, then he would have made it tough for us. He is the backbone of the Indian team."

With the match getting called off due to rain after India set a 267-run target, the Men in Green have qualified for the Super 4 stage, while India face a must-win situation against Nepal on Monday.