IND vs PAK: Shaheen Shah Afridi registers Pakistan's 3rd-best figures against India in Asia Cup history

Pakistan express pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi registered the third-best figures by a Pakistan bowler against India at the Asia Cup. Afridi picked four wickets as Pakistan bowled out India for 266 runs at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Afridi picked up four wickets while giving away just 35 runs in his 10 overs, while also bowling two maidens. He was deadly throughout the course of the game and troubled every batter in the Indian line-up.

With this performance, Afridi registered the third-best figures by a Pakistan bowler against India in the Asia Cup. His figures in Kandy were only bettered by Aaqib Javed (5/19 in 1995) and Abdul Razzaq (4/29 in 2000).

Afridi gave his side the perfect start by cleaning up India skipper Rohit Sharma in the fifth over. He doubled his wicket tally in his very next over, picking the prized wicket of India superstar batter Virat Kohli, to leave India reeling at 27 for 2.

Haris Rauf then came into the attack and picked the wickets of Shreyas Iyer and



Shubman Gill. India wicket-keeping batter Ishan Kishan and all-rounder Hardik Pandya then stitched a 138-run stand, India’s highest 5th-wicket partnership in Asia Cups, to bring India back in the game. However, Rauf stopped Kishan from completing his century, dismissing him after scoring 82 runs off 81 balls.

Afridi was then brought back into the attack by captain Babar Azam and he delivered instantly, picking two wickets in the 44th over. Afridi first got the better of Pandya, who was looking set to score his first century in ODI cricket. Afridi deceived the India all-rounder with a slower delivery, who hit it straight at Salman Ali Agha at covers.

Afridi then dismissed all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the final ball of his over with a good length delivery that Jadeja edged straight in the safe grasp of Pakistan wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan.

Naseem Shah then cleaned up India’s tail, bowling them out for 266 runs in the first innings. In fact, this was the first time in Asia Cup history that all 10 wickets were picked by fast-bowlers.