New Delhi: Pakistan pace sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi on Saturday picked his dream hat-trick comprising three Indian cricket stars and also named an India legend as the most prized wicket he has taken in his career so far.
Asked on ’25 questions’ on ESPNCricinfo, Afridi named “Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli” as his dream hat-trick. Well, he did dismiss all three of them during India’s last meeting with Pakistan, in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, in a group-stage tie.
He nailed a perfect yorker on the middle-stump, with a hint of inswing that beat Rohit and struck plumb on his pads as the opener departed for a golden duck in the first over of India’s World T20 opener in Dubai on October 24. Eight deliveries later, in his second over, Afridi dismissed Rahul with a lethal inswing delivery on length that nipped back in to sneak through the gates and rattle against the middle stump, as India lost another opener for hust 3 off 8. Afridi finished his powerplay bowling with a figure of 2/19.
He returned in the penultimate over of India’s innings, to dismiss Kohli for 57 off 49 with a slower delivery that angled across before the then Indian captain edged it behind to the wicketkeeper. Afridi picked this dismissal as his most prized wicket so far.
Afridi’s 3 for 31 helped Pakistan restrict India to 151 for 7, with Hasan Ali picking two wickets and Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan picking one apiece.
Pakistan chased down the target of 152 runs on the back of an unbeaten opening stand between Mohammed Rizwan, who scored 79* off 55, and captain Babar Azam, who scored 68* off 52, scripting a record 10-wicket in their opener. It was also Pakistan’s first-ever win against India in any World Cup meetings.
Pakistan will take on India once again in their group-stage tie in ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Melbourne on October 23.
