Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has spoken out after Pakistan’s disappointing loss to India in the Asia Cup 2025, making it clear that his expectations from Shaheen Shah Afridi are centered on taking wickets, not scoring runs.
Pakistan Falls Short Against India in Asia Cup 2025
The highly anticipated Group A clash between Pakistan and India in the Asia Cup T20 2025 was played in Dubai. Pakistan, after winning the toss, opted to bat first but failed to put up a competitive score. The batting lineup collapsed under pressure, managing only 127 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs.
India chased down the modest target of 128 runs with ease, securing a 7-wicket victory in the 15th over. The loss has raised serious questions about Pakistan’s batting approach in big matches, particularly with 63 dot balls played in their innings.
Afridi’s Take on Shaheen Afridi’s Role
Speaking to a local TV channel, Shahid Afridi expressed his mixed views about the performance of star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.
- On Shaheen’s Runs: Afridi admitted he was thankful Shaheen added some runs down the order; otherwise, Pakistan could have been bowled out under 100.
- On Shaheen’s Bowling: However, Afridi stressed that Shaheen’s primary responsibility is with the ball. “Shaheen must know that with the new ball, he has to pitch it up and play the mind games with batsmen,” he said.
- On Saeem Ayub: Afridi added that while he expects wickets from Shaheen, he expects runs from young opener Saim Ayub.
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How Pakistan’s Innings Unfolded
Pakistan’s innings started disastrously and never recovered:
- First Over Collapse: Saim Ayub was dismissed on the very first ball by Hardik Pandya, setting the tone for Pakistan’s struggles.
- Early Trouble: Mohammad Haris followed soon after, scoring only 3 runs before falling to Jasprit Bumrah.
- Middle Order Pressure: Fakhar Zaman (17) and captain Salman Agha (3) couldn’t anchor the innings, with both falling cheaply to Axar Patel.
- Kuldeep’s Impact: Spinner Kuldeep Yadav ripped through the middle order, dismissing Hasan Nawaz for 5 and then removing Sahibzada Farhan, who was Pakistan’s top scorer with 40 runs from 44 balls.
- Lower Order Collapse: Fahim Ashraf tried to add resistance but was dismissed for 11 as Pakistan folded for 127.
India’s Confident Chase
India’s batting lineup showed no nerves while chasing. Despite losing three wickets, the Indian batsmen controlled the game comfortably, reaching the target with seven wickets in hand.
The defeat highlighted Pakistan’s fragile batting lineup, which failed to provide any real challenge in this high-voltage encounter.
Growing Concerns for Pakistan
The back-to-back failures of Pakistan’s top and middle-order batsmen have sparked criticism from former players and fans alike. Experts believe the team needs urgent changes in both batting strategy and mindset if they want to compete at the highest level.
Shahid Afridi’s blunt remarks underline the frustration of fans and ex-cricketers, as Pakistan once again struggled against their arch-rivals in a major tournament.
