Sports Desk
DUBAI: Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi (C) celebrates with teammates after dismissing India´s captain Virat Kohli (not pictured) during the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on October 24, 2021. — Photo by Aamir Qureshi/AFP
Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi shone on Sunday in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup match against arch-rivals India in Dubai where he claimed two early wickets to set the stage for a brilliant performance by the Men in Green.
Not only that, Afridi, in a first for a T20 World Cup encounter between the two sides, sent Indian skipper Virat Kohli packing for 57 runs.
Afridi delivered a slow bouncer and Kohli was too early on his attempted pull, which sent the ball into the capable hands of keeper Muhammad Rizwan.
The wicket marked Rizwan’s 101st catch in the short format of the game.
In his post-innings conversation, Afridi said that “it (taking early wickets) was always the plan”.
“I practiced very hard at the nets,” he added.
In the high-octane contest, which is currently underway, India have handed Pakistan a 152-run target.
Muhammad Rizwan hailed on
Twitter for superb catch
DUBAI: Amid the ongoing nail-biting India-Pakistan match Twitter is the most active space for discussion where cricket lovers from both sides are busy in traditional banter.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan took a superb catch propelling his name to one of the top Twitter trends as he achieved the milestone of 100 T20 catches.
Rizwan took a phenomenal catch off a Hassan Ali delivery to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav in the sixth over of the T20 World Cup match against India on Sunday.
Leaping to his right, Rizwan caught the ball, putting India under further pressure and achieving yet another milestone for Pakistan.
Yadav scored 11-runs at the loss of eight balls and was replaced by Rishabh Pant in the field.
Netizens hail Shaheen for
taking two early wickets
Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been on a roll in the most-anticipated high-voltage clash against arch-rival India.
Afridi claimed two early wickets for Pakistan and sent openers’ K Rahul and Rohit Sharma — the most vouched for players for the match — back to the pavilion within the first few minutes of the blockbuster match.
Twitterati were quick to react and praise Afridi for his remarkable deliveries.
Rizwan completes 100 catches
Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan took a superb catch off a Hassan Ali delivery to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav in the sixth over of the T20 World Cup match against India on Sunday.
Leaping to his right, Rizwan caught the ball, putting India under further pressure and achieving yet another milestone for Pakistan.
Yadav scored a 11-runs at the loss of eight balls and was replaced by Rishabh Pant in the field.
Earlier, Shaheen Shah Afridi had been on a roll, claimed two early wicket for Pakistan against arch-rival India in the Super 12 match of the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
The Pakistani pacer had sent opener Rohit Sharma back to the pavilion after he managed to score only one run. He was replaced by skipper Virat Kohli.
Afridi had claimed another wicket of K Rahul as he departed for just three runs. Suryakumar Yadav replaced Rahul in the ground.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam had won the toss and elected to bowl first.
The two sides last clashed three years ago in the 2019 50-over World Cup.
The buzz around the game underlines the enduring appeal of the match-up between the subcontinent’s feuding neighbours.
While Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Indian counterpart Virat Kohli have called it just another game, but that is clearly not the case.
Virat Kohli-led India has beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over World Cups.
Pakistan, however, go into the contest with 10 wins in a row in the United Arab Emirates, their home away from home for most of the last decade.
Twitter redicules Akshay
DUBAI: Minutes after Pakistan’s victory against India in their blockbuster clash in the T20 World Cup, Twitter flooded with memes trolling Indian film actor Akshay Kumar, who was watching the match live from the stadium.
The actor was spotted celebrating whenever Indian batsmen scored runs.
Pakistan beat India comprehensively, winning the match by 10 wickets. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan both scored half-centuries to beat their arch-rivals in the opening game of the T20 World Cup.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli praised the Pakistan cricket team for bowling professionally and not giving away a single wicket when the Men in Green came out to bat.
Pakistan beat India comprehensively, winning the match by 10 wickets. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan both scored half-centuries to beat their arch-rivals in the opening game of the T20 World Cup.
