Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has offered advice to India’s captain Rohit Sharma, urging him to approach Pakistan’s pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi’s first three overs with “caution,” aiming to avoid a repeat of their fate in the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE.
In that tournament, Rohit fell victim to a searing Afridi yorker on the very first ball, which subtly curved inwards, leaving the opener completely bamboozled.
India went on to suffer a demoralizing 10-wicket loss in the group match and struggled to recover throughout the 2021 edition.
Hayden emphasised the importance of a “conservative” approach when facing Afridi, particularly given the tall and menacing nature of the Pakistani fast bowler.
“You’ve got to be conservative against Shaheen Afridi. Remember back to the (T20) World Cup (in the UAE in 2021) more recently. Shaheen was able to take early wickets,” Hayden told Star Sports.
“We’ll never forget that ball that he bowled to Rohit Sharma, so a little bit of caution against Shaheen Afridi. If it’s swinging, look to play out those first three overs,” Hayden advised the India skipper.
Virat Kohli, who was leading the side in 2021, was the highest run-getter for India scoring a 49-ball 57, coming in at his usual No.3 spot.
Terming the clash of the arch-rivals as the “spiciest competition” in world cricket, Hayden also said India batters will also have to guard against the extra bounce the likes of Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah could generate.
“India is playing against Pakistan’s pace trio. This is one of the spiciest competitions on the planet. We’ve got Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem (Shah). Three very different types of bowlers and unique bowlers, which require unique plans from Team India.
“Firstly, the conditions here in Kandy tend to have quite a lot of bounce, so you’ve got to watch that out, especially Haris Rauf. He’ll want to really hustle in and hit the top of off stump.
