Team India won the toss and elected to bat first in their opening game of the Asia Cup 2023 against Pakistan on Saturday, September 3 in Kandy and off the bat, the Men in Blue had some good luck. India skipper Rohit Sharma got a lifeline in the very first over bowled by Shaheen Afridi. Rohit negotiated the first ball well and played the second delivery, which was on his pads on the leg side but in the air. Fakhar Zaman at square leg put in a dive to his left but he spilled it and it went towards the boundary.
It was a difficult chance, but Zaman did get a hand to it, however, he couldn't hold on to it. The bowler Shaheen was not happy with Zaman's effort and skipper Babar Azam too got angry, coming up with an animated reaction.
Here's the video:
Rohit survived the dropped chance and hit one more boundary in Shaheen's next over before the rain halted the play. Rohit and Gill were watchful getting through the first spell of Shaheen and Naseem Shah, but the left-arm pacer had his last laugh.
The play resumed after 25 minutes and Shaheen needed just four deliveries to get rid of the Indian skipper. Rohit played three dot balls before Shaheen's inswinger did the job for Pakistan as the skipper missed the ball completely and India lost their first wicket in the fifth over.
Virat Kohli coming in at No. 3 couldn't do much as Shaheen like the 2021 T20 World Cup match got rid of both the big fishes as India were in early trouble yet again. Shaheen's twin strikes reduced India to 27/2. Shreyas Iyer, playing after six months started well but he too got out cheaply with Haris Rauf getting him dismissed off a short delivery.
