Virat Kohli vs Shaheen Afridi: It will truly be a great spectacle for fans to witness

Kohli has hit Shaheen for 34 runs

Virat Kohli vs Shaheen Afridi: It will truly be a great spectacle for fans to witness

Kohli and Shaheen during the 2021 T20I World Cup (image via getty)

With India playing their first match against Pakistan in the 2023 Asia Cup, many fans have been hyping up the fixture. Regarded as the biggest rivalry in international cricket, fans across the world wait for this fixture. Many fans have been hyping up the matchup between Virat Kohli and Shaheen Shah Afridi. 

Virat Kohli is regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world. He is known for his technique and ability to switch his approach is one to marvel at. Shaheen on the other hand is currently one of the most dangerous new ball bowlers. His ability to get swing with the new ball while maintaining pace and being accurate has troubled batsmen across the world. 

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Kohli and Shaheen have faced each other twice. The two times Shaheen has bowled to Kohli has been during the 2021 and 2022 ICC T20I World Cup. Shaheen has gotten Kohli out only once, but Kohli has scored 34 off the 22 balls Shaheen has bowled to him. Those 32 runs include four boundaries and two sixes. Shaheen had dismissed him in the 2021 T20I World Cup.

Now with Shaheen and Kohli playing their first ODI against each other, fans want to see the battle between them. It will truly be a great spectacle for fans to witness. 

Related:“MS Dhoni groomed the bowlers and left them with Virat Kohli,” Ishant Sharma claims Captain Cool’s leadership fostered development of India’s fast bowlers

Pakistan win Asia Cup opener after centuries by Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed

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Iftikhar Ahmed celebrates his century (image via ESPNcricinfo)

Batting first against Nepal, Pakistan lost both their openers in the first 7 overs. What followed was a good partnership by Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan, but that was soon broken thanks to Rizwan’s costly error and soon Agha Salman threw his wicket away. 

What came next was an entertaining partnership between Babar and Iftikhar Ahmad, with Babar scoring 151 and Iftikhar with109. Iftikhar brought up his century in 67 balls, with him hitting 11 boundaries and 4 sixes. The partnership was of 214 runs, it being the highest partnership in Pakistan for any wicket. Pakistan put up a score of 342/6.

Nepal started their innings strong, with opener Khusal Bhurtel hitting 2 boundaries in the first 2 balls, but Shaheen came back by picking up 2 wickets in the first over. The Pakistan bowling attack then ran riot, with them picking up the remaining 8 wickets in the next 23 overs. Nepal were all out for 104 runs, with Shadab Khan picking up 4 wickets. Pakistan had won by 238 runs.

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