India doesn’t face a threat from Shaheen Shah Afridi or Haris Rauf in their upcoming matches against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 and World Cup 2023. Afridi, the left-arm pacer, had a great performance in the T20 World Cup 2021, taking the prized wickets of KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli from the Indian top-order.
The Indian team has struggled against quality left-arm pace bowling in the past, so many expect them to make special plans for Afridi. Haris Rauf has also gained recognition with his raw pace, and fans are eager to see him in action against the star-studded Indian batting line-up.
However, it is the 20-year-old Naseem Shah who has caught the attention of Rohit Sharma’s India. During the second Test against Sri Lanka, on Day 5, Naseem bowled an impressive spell of reverse bowling with the old ball, impressing the cricket fraternity.
Naseem Shah’s spell of 7.4 overs (46 balls) consisted of 37 dot balls. He bowled brilliantly throughout but couldn’t take a wicket in the first 40 deliveries. However, he made up for it by taking three wickets in the last six deliveries, cleaning up Sri Lanka’s tail and dismissing them for 188.
Despite not receiving much assistance from the surface, the young speedster persevered in the extremely humid conditions and gave his all. He was eventually rewarded with the last three wickets of the Sri Lankan second innings.
Naseem Shah’s impressive performance with the old ball on a spin-friendly subcontinent surface has caught the attention of many in India. It is worth noting that India will face Pakistan in Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023, and the World Cup 2023 will also be played on similar surfaces in India.
The rapid progress Naseem is making in international cricket has left Indian fans worried about the prospect of facing him on the biggest stage, with his newly acquired skills, experience, and confidence.
Let’s not forget, Naseem was Pakistan’s best performer when the Babar Azam-led side last faced India at the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. In his four overs, he gave away just one boundary and bowled 10 dot balls, finishing with figures of 1/23. He took KL Rahul’s wicket in the second over of the match, putting immediate pressure on India.
He only conceded six runs against Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya in the 17th over before they punished Shaheen and Haris in the 18th and 19th over, leading India to a thrilling four-wicket victory in a last-ball thriller at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).