India Vs Pakistan: Not Shaheen Afridi, Ex-India Cricketer Picks Bowler Rohit Sharma & Co. ‘Need To Be Wary Of’

The countdown for the India vs Pakistan match in T20 World Cup 2022 Super 12s has begun. Though there remains a few weather-related concerns over the match in Melbourne on Sunday, both teams are preparing in the best manner possible for the highly-anticipated battle. For the Indian team, the return of Shaheen Shah Afridi is a big development but former cricketer Aakash Chopra doesn’t feel he is the bowler Rohit Sharma & Co. need to be wary of.

Taking to Twitter during the Pakistan vs Afghanistan warm-up match on Wednesday, Chopra tweeted: “Full…swinging…fast. Shaheen Afridi is getting close to his best. Gurbaz’s toe agrees”

In another tweet, he wrote: “But I do feel the bowler to be wary of on Sunday isn’t Shaheen. It’s Haris Rauf. Afridi is getting close to his best but isn’t there yet…and unlikely to be by the 23rd either. Rauf will bowl the tougher overs and has the potential to make a difference.”

Full…swinging…fast. Shaheen Afridi is getting close to his best.
Gurbaz’s toe agrees. #T20WorldCup

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 19, 2022

But I do feel the bowler to be wary of on Sunday isn’t Shaheen. It’s Haris Rauf. Afridi is getting close to his best but isn’t there yet…and unlikely to be by the 23rd either. Rauf will bowl the tougher overs and has the potential to make a difference. #IndvPak #T20WorldCup

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 19, 2022

Shaheen made his return to the Pakistan team in a warm-up match between Pakistan and Afghanistan at the Gabba on Wednesday. He picked up 2 wickets for 29 runs, dismissing both Afghan openers for cheap. One of the dismissals was a toe-crushing yorker that sent the batter out LBW and the other was a clean bowled.

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Despite seeing Shaheen’s performance in the match, Chopra feels that. he won’t the biggest threat to India on Sunday. But, it is also true that Haris Rauf has been in spectacular form going into the T20 World Cup. In fact, against Afghanistan, Rauf too picked up 2 wickets for 34 runs.

Team India hasn’t traditionally done well against Shaheen. The left-arm pacer had famously picked up three wickets in the T20 World Cup match last year. The memories of that spell still haunt many Indian cricket fans.