Last Update on: September 3rd, 2023 at 01:06 pm
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Former India batsman, Aakash Chopra spoke on the most anticipated match of the Asia Cup 2023 between India and Pakistan, which ended with no result since the match was abandoned due to rain on Saturday (September 2nd) at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. Chopra praised Shaheen Afridi and said that he is his Player of the match.
Shaheen Afridi displayed a stunning performance in the first inning and picked four wickets in his 10-over spell and gave away 35 runs. The Pakistani pacer dismissed important Indian batsmen including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja.
In the first inning, India gave away a target of 267 runs after Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya played a solid partnership. However, before the start of the second inning, rain spoiled the match and the game had to be cancelled.
While speaking on his official YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra first started his show by asking fans who should be their Player of the Match in the high-voltage match.
Later, the 45-year-old revealed his opinion and said that for him Shaheen Afridi was the best player in the game.
“We need to first talk about the Player of the Match even if it did not end up as a proper game. There are a lot of contenders. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya played 80-odd run knocks, which took India to a position from where they could have fought. But my Player of the Match is Shaheen Shah Afridi,” Aakash Chopra said.
The guy has class and swings the ball at a good pace: Aakash Chopra on Shaheen Afridi
The former India opener praised the Pakistani pacer and said that he will start opening up the batsman from the very first over.
Later, Chopra added that Afridi had class and can swing the ball at a good pace. He stated that the 23-year-old will be going to stay rent-free in the minds of every Indian.
“He opens you up at the start. The guy has class and swings the ball at a good pace. At the moment, it seems like he is staying rent-free in our minds because when he starts his run-up, I don’t know what the batters think, but we feel that he will hit the pads or dismiss the batter,” Aakash Chopra added on Shaheen Afridi.
Rohit Sharma-led India will take on Nepal in the fifth match of the Asia Cup 2023 on Monday (September 4th) at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.