Asia Cup 2023: Don’t think Rohit is able to read or understand Shaheen at all, says Shoaib Akhtar

Former Pakistan gun fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar reckons Rohit Sharma is neither able to read nor understand Shaheen Shah Afridi at all. Rohit was dismissed by Afridi in the high-octane clash between India and Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on Saturday.

After the first interruption, Afridi, who wasn’t at his absolute best during the first spell, was right on the money. The lanky pacer planned Rohit’s dismissal like a perfect predator as he got a few deliveries to move across the right-hander.

Subsequently, Afridi was able to find the gulf between Rohit’s bat and pad when he got the ball to move back into the Indian skipper.

“I don’t think Rohit is able to read or understand Shaheen at all. The visual of Rohit Sharma being beaten like this was not good, he is a far better player than this. Rohit can bat much better than this, I think he is worrying too much,” Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.

Akhtar reckons Shubman Gill lost his wicket due to a lack of concentration because of continuous rain interruptions. Gill was bowled by Haris Rauf after scoring 10 runs from 32 balls.

“The constant interruptions by rain, leading to the players going off the ground and coming back in, it affects the focus of the batters. Gill lost his wicket exactly because of this reason, he lost his concentration, and that is why he played such a loose shot,” Akhtar said on India’s batting line-up and the effects of rain.

Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi returned with impressive figures of 4-35 in his quota of 10 overs. Apart from Rohit Sharma, Afridi also accounted for Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja.

“What a spell it was by Shaheen Afridi, what a bowler he is. Everyone knows what he will do, pitch it full and bring it back in, and in spite of that Rohit Sharma had no answer. But, what is Rohit Sharma supposed to do, in his defence he had last played him in 2022, he does not get the opportunity to face him too often,” Akhtar explained.

India will next face Nepal at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele on Monday.