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In a thrilling first match of the Asia Cup 2023 between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, the Pakistani pace attack emerged victorious, dismantling India's batting line-up. Playing at Pallekele on Saturday, September 3, Pakistan's bowlers took full advantage of the conditions after India chose to bat first. The Indian team struggled from the get-go, losing four crucial wickets in just the initial 15 overs.
The spotlight shone brightly on Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was unstoppable in his opening spell. With precision and impeccable swing, Afridi removed both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, shattering India's top order. As if that weren't enough, he came back later in the innings to dismiss both Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja with an older ball.
Former India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra took to his YouTube channel to offer high praise for Afridi. "We need to first talk about the Player of the Match even if it did not end up as a proper game. There are a lot of contenders. Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya played 80-odd run knocks, which took India to a position from where they could have fought. But my Player of the Match is Shaheen Shah Afridi," said Chopra.
According to Chopra, Afridi has been psychologically dominating the Indian batters, stating that Afridi has been "living rent-free in the minds" of them. Afridi's performance was especially remarkable given that he found substantial swing even after a rain interruption early in the game.
"He opens you up at the start. The guy has class and swings the ball at a good pace. At the moment, it seems like he is staying rent-free in our minds because when he starts his run-up, I don't know what the batters think, but we feel that he will hit the pads or dismiss the batter," Chopra concluded.
Despite the setbacks, India managed to put 266 runs on the board, largely thanks to resilient half-centuries from Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya. The duo formed a strong, aggressive partnership, adding 138 runs between themselves. However, the match was eventually abandoned due to a rain interruption, leaving fans and players alike eager for a rematch.
Looking ahead, India is set to face Nepal in their next Asia Cup 2023 fixture. As for Pakistan, they'll surely be riding high on the wave of confidence generated by their spectacular bowling performance, particularly the star of the match, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
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