Shaheen Afridi four-fer restricts India to 266 despite Hardik-Ishan fightback in Asia Cup 2023 clash against Pakistan 

Ishan Kishan (82 off 81) and Hardik Pandya (87 off 90) featured in a terrific fifth-wicket stand of 138 as India recovered from 66/4 in match number three of Asia Cup 2023 against Pakistan in Pallekele on Saturday, September 2. However, Shaheen Afridi’s brilliant spell of 4/35 restricted the Men in Blue to 266 in 48.5 overs.

Pakistan held the upper hand in the initial part of the innings as Afridi and Haris Rauf were on fire. However, they were pedestrian with the ball after that and extremely sloppy in the field right through the innings.

India batted first after winning the toss, but Afridi dealt the Men in Blue two massive blows after the first rain interruption, which came after 4.2 overs. On resumption, he knocked over skipper Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (4) with probing deliveries. Comeback man Shreyas Iyer (14) then pulled a short ball from Rauf to mid-wicket.

India were 51/3 in 11.2 overs when rain interrupted play for the second time. When play resumed, the batting side lost Shubman Gill for a painfully slow 10 off 32 balls. Gill never looked in any sort of rhythm and was knocked over by Rauf, inside-edging one onto the stumps.

Kishan and Pandya then led a brilliant fightback for India. The former showed early signs of aggression with an upper cut off Rauf for six in the 12th over. After Gill’s dismissal, he ensured India did not go into their shell, slamming Shadab Khan for two fours in the 16th over. Hardik began cautiously but gradually found his rhythm.

Kishan reached a well-compiled 50 off 54 balls, driving Shadab to long-on for a single. He then launched Mohammad Nawaz for a six over his head. Pandya reached his 50 off 62 balls with a single off Agha Salman to long-on. Though he hit only three fours, he did a good anchor role by rotating the strike.

The excellent partnership ended in the 38th over when Kishan skied an attempted pull off Rauf (3/58) to mid-on. The keeper-batter’s fighting knock featured nine fours and two sixes. Pandya accelerated the innings following Kishan’s exit, clubbing Rauf for three fours in the 40th over.

---

Shaheen Afridi returns to hurt India again

Just when India seemed to be getting on top of Pakistan, Afridi returned to hurt the batting side again. He ended Pandya’s resistance with a well-disguised slower ball that the set batter failed to spot. Pandya only managed to chip the ball to extra cover. In the next over, Ravindra Jadeja (14) nicked a length ball from the Pakistani left-arm pacer and gave a simple catch behind the wickets.

On the first ball of the next over bowled by Naseem Shah (3/36), India lost Shardul Thakur (3), who got a leading edge while trying to help a ball towards square leg. The ballooned in the air and Shadab took a good catch running backwards. From 239/5, India crumbled to 242/8.

Jasprit Bumrah (16) pushed the total past 260 before Naseem wrapped up the innings by claiming two wickets in the penultimate over.