Former Head Coach of Team India on the Battle That Will Decide the IND vs. PAK Clash
The most-awaited match of the ICC Men's Cricket World between arch-rivals India and Pakistan is going to get started later today in a few hours. Before the match, former head coach of Indian cricket team Ravi Shastri identified the biggest threat and which player could be an X-factor for the Rohit Sharma-led side. While speaking, Shastri feels Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi could prove to be a big hurdle for Team India as his battles against India's top-order will be crucial.
Shaheen has enjoyed plenty of success in the past against the Indian openers but is yet to fire in the ongoing World Cup.
Shastri said, “I think Shaheen Shah Afridi against the Indian openers will be key. It's a given that that's going to be the test, that it's going to be the challenge. Whoever wins will go a long way towards dictating terms in that game. Similarly, from Pakistan's point of view, I think in this game, again, it will be at the top. You want their captain to be fired. Babar Azam has not had a great run of late, but if he starts firing, getting those 80-100 early doors in the tournament, it'll make his job as a captain a lot easier.”
Shastri also praised the fast bowlers of team India, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, while saying that both players can be an X-factor for the team.
He further added, "I think Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, because we know Bumrah is an x-factor, and if he gets it right, he'll be a thrill to watch. And Siraj, I think, has come of age. He's one of the most improved bowlers in world cricket and can do wonderful things with the ball; it comes naturally to him. He can swing it, he can seam it, and he's got a great seam presentation. So I think these two will be great to watch if they're on song.”