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Virat Kohli had to walk out early in the powerplay overs as Rohit Sharma’s troubles against left-arm pacers continued. Kohli got off the mark with a boundary but became Shaheen Afridi’s second victim with the new ball playing a shot with minimal foot movement. He tried to push the ball towards off-side but the inside edge crashed into the stumps. Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was not happy with Kohli’s ‘casual’ approach against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2023 encounter.
"That was a nothing shot, neither forward, neither back. I think was a bit casual. That's what you get when you play someone like Shaheen Afridi. You don't know whether to go forward or back," Gambhir said while commentating on Star Sports.
Kohli got out after contributing just four runs to the score but unlike Gambhir, former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis was not too critical of the shot selection.
"Kohli was a touch unlucky. Inside edge, the ball didn't come on to bat and maybe even kept a bit low. But credit to Shaheen Shah Afridi for altering his length," Younis said.
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden too felt that it was unfair to criticise Kohli as he said, "Yeah, inside edge onto the stumps, could have got anywhere."
Later in the innings, Afridi got the wicket of Hardik Pandya denying him his maiden ODI century. He followed it up with the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja. Afridi finished with bowling figures of 4/35 in his quota of 10 overs including two maidens. It is also the third-best figures by a Pakistan bowler against India at the Asia Cup.
After India posted 266 on the board with the help of Pandya and Ishan Kishan’s half-centuries, Afridi was asked about which wicket he liked more to which he replied, “I think both (Virat and Rohit) were crucial wickets, every batter is the same for me. But I think I liked Rohit's wicket better. The plans by our fast bowlers worked.”
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