Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket PlayersSourav Ganguly reacts to Shaheen Afridi's absence with blunt one-line remark ahead of IND vs PAK Asia Cup blockbuster
The BCCI President commented on the absence of Shaheen Afridi in the upcoming clash between India and Pakistan at the 2022 Asia Cup.
Team India faces Pakistan in a blockbuster clash to kickstart their Asia Cup 2022 campaign on Sunday night (August 28). The Indian team will be aiming to put out a strong performance at the same venue (Dubai) where it was humbled by 10 wickets by Pakistan in their previous clash at the T20 World Cup 2021. Shaheen Afridi had played a major role in that game, dismissing the Indian top-3 to put India under instant pressure. However, the Babar Azam-led side faced a massive setback as Afridi was ruled out of the Asia Cup due to a knee injury.
Incidentally, India also lost the services of Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the continental tournament due to back injury. While many had insisted that both teams will be ruing the absences of their star pacers, BCCI President and former India captain Sourav Ganguly feels otherwise. The former India batter feels the absence of one player cannot make a potentially huge difference.
"I don't think one player can make a difference. It's teamwork. We also don't have Jasprit Bumrah,” Ganguly told India Today when asked about the absence of Afridi and whether it could benefit India.
Ganguly further said Hardik Pandya's return has been a huge boost for India post the 2022 Indian Premier League. Pandya made a return to the side after impressive performances for Gujarat Titans in the tournament, where he had led the side to title victory.
"Absolutely... He's a huge addition to the side plus his bowling. Last year he was not fit to bowl, now he's gone back to bowling. So he is a huge addition," he said.
"No team is a favourite in the T20 format. Did anyone think of Gujarat winning the IPL. It's a different format altogether. You have so little time to recover," he said when asked about the favourites to lift the Asia Cup.
