In a sensational display of fast bowling, Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi etched his name into the cricketing annals during the Asia Cup clash against India on Saturday, September 2. Afridi's lethal bowling spell saw him capture four prized Indian wickets while conceding only 35 runs in his allotted 10 overs, which also included two maidens. This match took place at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
Afridi's remarkable performance places him in an elite list, registering the third-best bowling figures by a Pakistan bowler against India in the history of the Asia Cup. His performance in Kandy was only surpassed by two Pakistani greats, Aaqib Javed who picked 5/19 in 1995 and Abdul Razzaq with 4/29 in 2000.
The Pakistani pacer kick-started his side's attack with an extraordinary dismissal of Indian captain Rohit Sharma in the fifth over. He then doubled his wicket tally in his subsequent over by claiming the wicket of Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli. This left India with a precarious score of 27 for 2.
Haris Rauf, another fast bowler from Pakistan, took over the mantle and dismissed Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill. This paved the way for a significant partnership between India's wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan and all-rounder Hardik Pandya. They built a 138-run stand, marking India's highest fifth-wicket partnership in the history of the Asia Cup.
However, Afridi was reintroduced into the attack by Pakistan captain Babar Azam during the critical phase of the match. He swiftly captured two more crucial wickets in the 44th over. First, he outsmarted Hardik Pandya with a slower delivery that the all-rounder hit straight to Salman Ali Agha at covers. Next, he dismissed all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja with a well-pitched delivery that found its way into the safe hands of Pakistani wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan.
Naseem Shah, another Pakistani fast bowler, then finished off the Indian innings, making this match historic as it was the first time in the Asia Cup where all 10 wickets were taken by fast bowlers. With performances like this, Shaheen Shah Afridi continues to elevate his status as one of the premier fast bowlers in modern-day cricket.
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