IND vs PAK: Aakash Chopra Praises Rohit Sharma's Attack Against Shadab Khan In Asia Cup 2023, Says 'It Seemed Like Shadab Was Bowling To His Reputation And Not...'

Former India player, Aakash Chopra praised Rohit Sharma’s attack against Shadab Khan in the third Super Fours match in the Asia Cup 2023 on Sunday (September 10th) at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

In the high-voltage match, Rohit Sharma played a 56-run knock from 49 balls with a strike rate of 114.26. Sharma smashed six fours and four sixes against the quality Pakistani bowling bowling attack.

The 36-year-old India skipper opened the first inning with Shubman Gill who also scored 58 runs from 52 balls with a strike rate of 111.54 and made a solid partnership of 121 runs to give the Men in Blue an early advantage in the game.

However, the third Super Fours match between India and Pakistan was stopped after 24.1 over after rain washed off the game and the game will be resumed on Reserve Day on Monday (September 11th). Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are on the crease to help India back into the game after losing the wickets of the two openers.

While speaking on his official YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra stated that the way Rohit Sharma was hitting six and fours to Shadab Khan it was like the Pakistani spinner was bowling to Rohit’s reputation and not the 36-year-old India skipper.

“Rohit was waiting for a spin, that he will demolish it once it comes. It’s not that he didn’t hit the fast bowlers but after that, the way he hit Shadab Khan, fours and sixes one after the other. He hit sixes off both short balls and a full toss.

“At one stage, it seemed like Shadab Khan was bowling to Rohit Sharma’s reputation and not to Rohit. He wasn’t able to release the ball properly. He was looking very ordinary,” the 45-year-old said.

Rohit Sharma hit a six off the last ball of the first over: Aakash Chopra

The former India player praised the India skipper’s first over sixes and said that those were beautiful pic-up shots.

While talking about Naseem Shah, the 45-year-old said that if luck had favoured him, he could have easily picked three to four wickets.

“Rohit Sharma hit a six off the last ball of the first over. It was a beautiful pick-up shot. It was an announcement that the match would be different because the pitch was also looking different. This pitch did not have that much help.

“There was a little swing in the air but off the surface, there was hardly anything when compared to Pallekele. Naseem Shah was breathing fire, he was brilliant on a flat pitch. If luck had favoured him a little, he might have picked up three or four wickets in that same spell but that didn’t happen,” Aakash Chopra said.

India will take on Sri Lanka in the fourth Super Fours match on Tuesday (September 12th) at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.