Asian arch-rivals India and Pakistan will lock horns in a group fixture at the Asia Cup in Dubai on August 28 and the heat is building up ahead of the clash slowly but surely.
Like defending champions India who lost Jasprit Bumrah, Pakistan also lost their bowling spearhead Shaheen Afridi to injury ahead of the tournament and the battle now looks even-steven as far as the pace-bowling attack is concerned.
Former Pakistan pace bowler Aqib Javed spoke on the matter and said what impact the absence of the ace bowlers would have for their respective sides in the tournament.
Speaking to Paktv.tv, Javed, who reiterated his former Pakistan teammate Waqar Younis's words that Afridi's injury would come as a huge relief to the Indian team owing to his ability with the new ball. The lanky left-arm pacer played a key role in Pakistan's 10-wicket victory over India in the T20 World Cup at the same venue. Also, another left-arm Pakistan pacer Mohammed Amir produced a match-winning spell against India in the final of the Champions Trophy in 2017.
“It is a huge set-back for Pakistan. Because the way he bowls, even in T20 cricket, batters are left in a dilemma on whether they save themselves from an lbw or from betting bowled out. So there is a huge pressure on batters when Shaheen bowls. You need to good with the new ball, especially against India given how their middle-order batting line-up is, it will be difficult for Pakistan.
"The last two times Pakistan beat India - in Champions Trophy (2017 final) and last World Cup (2021 T20 WC), the pattern was similar - left-arm pacer puts the early pressure. So India will be very relieved. Nobody wants to face Shaheen with the new ball,” Javed said.
However, the veteran then weighed in on the situation comparing India without Bumrah and Pakistan sans Afridi, saying that the latter depend more on Afridi than the former do on Bumrah, even though India's bowling attack for the Asia Cup doesn't look too strong.
“With Bumrah no there Indian bowling attack has become weak. There is no Shami either. But the role Shaheen has in Pakistan bowling attack it shows that the team depend on him more than India depend on Bumrah,” Javed added.
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