India’s bowling coach shared his thoughts on how to tackle Shaheen Shah Afridi ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 final on Sunday, September 28. India have already
defeated Pakistan twice in the tournament, once in the group stage and once in the Super Four.
The coach Morne Morkel acknowledged that Shaheen is an aggressive bowler but asserted that India would not back down. The former South African pacer also highlighted that Abhishek Sharma will look to take on Shaheen early, setting the stage for a thrilling, edge-of-the-seat contest in the summit clash.
“It is definitely exciting the way they (Abhishek Sharma and Shaheen Shah Afridi) play their cricket. Shaheen is obviously aggressive, but we'll try and knock him over. And I think he's not going to fall back. So far, the time when these two went head to head at this tournament, we all, as supporters and fans, were on the edge of our seats. And that's great for the game. So let's look forward to that on Sunday and enjoy the battle,” said Morkel.
In the first clash between the arch-rivals, the left-handed batter provided India with a blistering start, smashing 31 runs off just 13 balls at a strike rate of 238.46. The premier Pakistani pacer, on the other hand, endured a forgettable outing, conceding 23 runs in his two overs.
Their second meeting in the Super Four saw the No. 1-ranked T20I batter once again dominate the Pakistani spearhead, guiding the Men in Blue's chase with a scintillating 74 off 39 deliveries, laced with six fours and five sixes. Shaheen continued to struggle, leaking 40 runs in 3.5 overs without much impact, citing concerns over his poor rhythm.
Since that clash, however, both players have managed to carry their form. Abhishek has registered two more half-centuries, scoring 75 against Bangladesh and 61 against Sri Lanka, maintaining his aggressive approach at the top. Shaheen, meanwhile, bounced back strongly with match-winning spells, 3/28 against Sri Lanka and 3/17 against Bangladesh.
With everything set, India and Pakistan will lock horns one final time in the Asia Cup 2025. The Men in Blue will be eyeing a record-extending ninth title, while Pakistan will look to lift the prestigious trophy for the third time in their history.
