Former Pakistan captain and chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq has put India ahead in the epic Asia Cup 2022 clash against the arch-rivals, stating the absence of Shaheen Shah Afridi will be a huge advantage for the Men in Blue on August 28 in Dubai. (More Cricket News)
Defending champions India will start their Asia Cup 2022 campaign against Pakistan and aim to avenge their T20 World Cup loss at the same venue last year in September. Pakistan thrashed India by 10 wickets with left-arm pacer Afridi destroying India’s top order.
It was also Pakistan’s first-ever World Cup win over India in any format. However, Pakistan will miss the services of Afridi in the Asia Cup 2022 as the 22-year-old was ruled out due to a knee injury he suffered in the first Test against Sri Lanka earlier this year.
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India’s right-handed batters’ struggle against the left-arm pacers has been one area to ponder for the team management over the last few years and Inzamam pointed out that Pakistan will miss the trick there.
“It's a massive setback for Pakistan that Shaheen Afridi is out of the Asia Cup. If you look at the last match against India (T20 World Cup 2021), he created pressure right from the very first over in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup,” said Inzamam in his YouTube show.
If Rohit Sharma missed the length of a full-length delivery, Afridi cleaned up KL Rahul with a searing yorker to leave them two down inside the powerplay. India are likely to go with same opening pair against Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2022 opener too.
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Meanwhile, Mohammad Hasnain has replaced the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi for the Asia Cup 2022. The 22-year-old Hasnain returned to cricket in June after remodelling his bowling action. He was suspended in February after being called by umpires during the Big Bash League.
The right-arm fast bowler has taken 17 wickets in 18 T20s and played his last T20 against the West Indies at Karachi in December 2021. Hasnain is representing the Oval Invincibles in the Hundred competition in England and will join the Pakistan team in the UAE.
