Last Update on: September 1st, 2023 at 03:36 pm
Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has shared valuable advice for the Indian batters ahead of the game against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023. He said that the Rohit Sharma-led side need to be conservative against Shaheen Afridi.
India and Pakistan will be up against each other in the third game of the Asia Cup 2023 at Kandy. The battle between Indian batters and Pakistan bowlers will be the standout feature of the match as over the years we have seen some intense battles.
The bowling lineup of Pakistan is one of the most threatening attacks going on in World cricket. The likes of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah have troubled Indian batters in the recent past and therefore they need to be cautious against them when they are up against them.
Matthew Hayden feels that India batters will need to come up with unique plans for the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah as they all are three different types of bowlers.
Matthew Hayden also highlighted that conditions in Kandy will suit bowlers and India batters need to be wary of Haris Rauf.
He added: “Well, I can tell you this is one of the spiciest competitions on the planet. We’ve got Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem. Three very different types of bowlers and unique bowlers which require unique plans from Team India.
“Firstly, the conditions here in Kandy tend to have quite a lot of bounce, so you’ve got to watch that out, especially Haris Rauf. He’ll want to really hustle in and hit the top of the off stump”.
IND vs PAK: You’ve Got To Be Conservative Against Shaheen Afridi – Matthew Hayden’s Advice To Indian Batters
Matthew Hayden further added that India batters should be watchful against Shaheen Afridi as he can take early wickets. He added that Rohit Sharma along with Shubman Gill should look to play the first three overs if the ball is swinging.
He elaborated: “You’ve got to be conservative against Shaheen Afridi. Remember back to the World Cup more recently; Shaheen was able to take early wickets. We’ll never forget that ball that he bowled to Captain Rohit Sharma. If it’s swinging, look to play out those first three overs.”
It remains to be seen who will win the battle between India and Pakistan. There are high chances we will see them in the Super 4 stage.