The much-awaited clash between India and Pakistan is currently underway at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. It is the biggest game of the ongoing Asia Cup 2023. It started with India winning the toss and putting Pakistan to bowl.
But it looks like the decision has backfired completely, as the Pakistani pace attack led by Shaheen Afridi has troubled the Indian batters. India has lost its top three wickets in the first ten overs, including the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
The Indian captain got out after scoring 11 off 22 with two boundaries. Afridi dismissed him just after the rain break on the final ball of the fifth over. Afridi bowled two outswingers and followed them up with an inswinger, which hit the stumps through the gap between bat and pad.
His wicket brought Virat Kohli to the crease. Virat started with a cover drive for four. But then Afridi also dismissed him with an inside edge to the stumps, and Virat could only manage a 7-ball 4. With that wicket, Shaheen Afridi registered a world record.
The left-arm pacer became the first ever bowler to dismiss both Virat and Rohit by bowling dismissals in the same innings. That has certainly broken the backbone of the Indian batting order. Apart from this, Shreyas Iyer, who was making his comeback after an injury, was dismissed by Haris Rauf.
Iyer made 14 off 9 balls, with two boundaries. Shubman Gill (6) and Ishan Kishan (2) are at the crease. Without a doubt, India is in big trouble, as there is not much batting left for them. They now have Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja to come to bat next.
But then, it is a long bowling lineup. Both young players in the middle need to form a partnership in the middle to take India out of the hole. It will be hard because Pakistan is bowling pretty well at the moment.
