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Cricket Players'Shoaib asked me to not try the yorker against Rahul': Afridi recalls fiery spell vs India ahead of T20 World Cup clash
Shaheen Afridi's fiery spell played a big role in Pakistan's big 10-wicket win over India in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
At just 22, Shaheen Afridi is already a superstar in Pakistan cricket, having scripted few many records across formats and has become a terror for openers in white-ball cricket. One of his most talked-about performance was against India, exactly 12 months back, in the UAE in 2021 T20 World Cup. His spectacular spell with the new ball helped Pakistan record their first ever win against India at a World Cup meeting. Shaheen had picked three wickets in that match - Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli. And just four days ahead of the blockbuster India vs Pakistan match at the MCG in the 2022 T20 World Cup, Shaheen recalled how Rohit and Rahul's dismissals were plotted.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Shaheen revealed that he was determined to put on a performance against India that would forever be embedded in the memories of Pakistan fans. But the pressure was both on him and his side. He had never faced India in a T20 match before, while Pakistan had never defeated India in a World Cup match before.
“A time comes in your career when you want to make a name for yourself and this opportunity comes when you facing the bigger teams. I always wanted to play against India and this was my first T20 against them. I wanted to perform in a way that people would always remember. We also hadn't won against India in a World Cup before," he said.
Afridi revealed that he had studied Rohit pattern of dismissal and learned about his vulnerability against the inswing deliveries at a yorker length. Given that the variety of delivery has been his potent weapon with the new ball in T20 cricket, he had planned to serve that early to Rohit. The star opener was dismissed for a golden duck.
“I had observed that Rohit Sharma struggles against the inswing, at that yorker length. In 2021, most of my dismissals were with that length. So I thought to myself, if that's my strength why not use it against him in the first ball that bowl to him,” he recalled.
Shaheen then revealed his conversation with Shoaib Malik on how the former Pakistan captain's crucial advice led to Rahul's dismissal in his next over.
“For KL Rahul, I happened to be standing with Shoaib Malik. He asked me if the ball was swinging, and I said, not much. He asked me to not try the yorker ball but the length ball and it might just nip back in. I tried it and that's exactly what happened. I owe that wicket to Shoaib Malik,” he said. Pakistan had won that match by 10 wickets.
