Pakistan speed phenom Shaheen Shah Afridi chose his dream hat-trick of three Indian cricket legends on Saturday, and he also identified an India great as the most valued wicket he has taken in his career thus far.
In response to ESPNCricinfo’s ’25 questions,’ Afridi chose “Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli” as his fantasy hat-trick. He did, however, dismiss all three of them during India’s most recent meeting with Pakistan in a group-stage match in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
In the opening over of India’s World T20 opener in Dubai on October 24, he blasted a brilliant yorker on the middle-stump with a touch of inswing that beat Rohit and smacked plumb on his pads. Afridi removed Rahul with a devastating inswing delivery on length that dipped back in to sneak between the gates and clang into the middle stump eight deliveries later, in his second over, as India lost another opener for hust 3 off 8. Afridi concluded his powerplay bowling with a 2/19.
In the last over of India’s innings, he returned to remove Kohli for 57 off 49 balls with a slower delivery that slanted over before the then-Indian captain slipped it behind to the wicketkeeper. Afridi chose this dismissal as his prized wicket thus far.
Afridi’s three-wicket haul helped Pakistan restrict India to 151 for seven, with Hasan Ali taking two wickets and Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan each taking one.
Pakistan pulled down the goal of 152 runs thanks to an undefeated opening partnership of 79* off 55 by Mohammed Rizwan and 68* off 52 by skipper Babar Azam, recording a record 10-wicket win in their opener. It was also Pakistan’s first-ever World Cup victory over India.
On October 23, Pakistan will face India in another group-stage match at the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Melbourne.