Shahid Afridi has acted decisively twice in this series. In the Bangalore Test, his bat first set up the game for Pakistan and he followed it up with key wickets on the final afternoon. Now he has flattened India in Green Park, Kanpur. He is the man who has made sure Pakistan would return home undefeated.
When a storm blows, it is difficult to stay on your feet. So it happened with Indian bowlers. It's not the first time they have bowled to Afridi nor is it a rare occasion when he has chased them around the park like a terrier. So what did they learn from the past hidings? Nothing.
Afridi's aerial routes are predictable. He prefers midwicket-square leg area, there is this mighty blow over mid-off and he also crashes past the cover region. To have third man and fine leg against him is such a flawed field. If India had learnt anything from the past, these two fielders would have been up in the circle.
In their places, two men would patrol the midwicket and long-off fence. If he still clears you, bad luck. At least you would be satisfied you had a game plan against him.
It is a batsman's mindset that he eyes the free areas in the field. Who knows with third man and fine leg up in the circle, a gambler in Afridi might have taken a chance in those regions.
{{/usCountry}}It is a batsman's mindset that he eyes the free areas in the field. Who knows with third man and fine leg up in the circle, a gambler in Afridi might have taken a chance in those regions.
{{/usCountry}}It would have called for delicate shots which, let's be fair, is not exactly the way Afridi approaches his batting.
Another way to bowl to Afridi — so brilliantly, if briefly, illustrated by Zaheer Khan — is to mix up the pace of your deliveries. A short-pitched ball is also a better option against him.