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On September 2, India took on Pakistan in the Group A clash of the Asia Cup 2023 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy. The first ODI meeting between these two arch-rivals, after their ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 encounter, was marred by weather interruption from start to finish.
Check Here: Asia Cup 2023 Live Score
While their Asia Cup match was declared a no-result, due to persistent rains in the city of Kandy, India got the chance to bat out their innings against Pakistan bowlers on a tough pitch, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The afternoon had begun with the Indian captain Rohit Sharma deciding to bat first, a call which wasn’t thought of as a straightforward one, by the experts or fans alike.
SportsTiger looks back at the three top moments from the India vs Pakistan Group A clash in the Asia Cup 2023, before India goes head-to-head against Pakistan once again in the tournament, during the Super Four stage, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 10.
Shaheen Afridi castles Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to give Pakistan a perfect start
Shaheen Afridi, widely regarded as one of the most lethal fast bowlers with the new ball, was in great rhythm during his first spell against the Indian openers at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. He set up the Indian captain Rohit Sharma, during the fifth over of the innings, after delivering a couple of beautiful deliveries, which seamed away from his bat.
On the next ball, Rohit Sharma shaped up for a defensive stroke, presuming the ball trajectory to be outside the line of the off stump from Shaheen Afridi, but instead, it seamed inwards to find the tiny gap between the bat and the pad, to crash into his stumps. The left-arm fast bowler also shattered the stumps of Virat Kohli, but it was a rather innocuous delivery, to pick up the two most prized wickets in quick succession to send Team India on the back foot.
