When India and Pakistan meet in the Asia Cup final on Sunday, all eyes will be on a face-off that has already provided some of the tournament’s most thrilling moments. Indian ace opener Abhishek Sharma will once again face Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi in Dubai tonight. And if India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel is to be believed then the clash is set to be “edge of the seat” entertainment.
“Shaheen is obviously an aggressive bowler that will try and knock you over. And Abhishek is not going to hold back. I think so far, every time these two went head-to-head, we all as cricket supporters and fans are on the edge of our seats and that’s great for the game,” Morne Morkel told ESPNCricinfo ahead of the game.
Abhishek vs Shaheen
At 25, both players are in different phases of their careers. Shaheen has spearheaded Pakistan’s attack for years. Abhishek, meanwhile, has exploded onto the scene in the ongoing Asia Cup, scoring three fifties in six matches and never dipping below 30.
Against Pakistan, he has been particularly destructive. Sharma hit Afridi for a straight-driven boundary in their first face-to-face on September 14. A week later, Sharma started his innings with a hook shot six on Afridi’s first delivery of the game. So far in the Asia Cup, the Indian opener has scored 31 runs off 14 balls against Afridi.
Rising against the odds
History shows Afridi’s ability to rise to the occasion — most memorably in the 2021 T20 World Cup final when he dismissed Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in the opening over. While his record against India has since wavered, Afridi reminded everyone of his danger in recent games. The pacer struck early against both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
So, can Abhishek extend his domination or will Shaheen rediscover his magic against India? Whatever the outcome, cricket fans can expect fireworks in Dubai starting 8 pm.