Pakistan are facing Canada in their do-or-a-die clash in the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. The Men in Green are looking to hang around in the tournament as they are yet to open their mark in the win column.
Meanwhile, their ace pacer Shaheen Afridi has registered a never-seen-before unwanted record in T20 World Cup history. Shaheen came to open the bowling for his team with Canadian openers Aaron Johnson and Navneet Dhaliwal set to face the ferocious pacer.
Shaheen found it difficult to get his length right as he bowled two full-tosses - the first one on the pads and the next one a low-inswinging full-toss to start the innings. On both occasions, Johnson put him for boundaries as he flicked the first one towards deep mid-wicket before driving him towards long-off for another four.
This became the first instance in the T20 World Cup that a match began with two back-to-back boundaries. This comes in the ninth edition of the tournament with the first one taking place in 2007.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam won the toss and opted to bowl first. "We will have a bowl first. It is an early morning match and want to utilize the first six overs. We have one change - Saim Ayub is in. We have had a discussion and are focused on today's game. We have a quick turnaround, we have no other option but to win this game. I have played against some of their bowlers," Babar said at the toss.
"I would have bowled first as well. But we have seen teams have found it difficult chasing, so hopefully we can put the runs on the board. We have one change. We have been playing some good cricket and want to continue that consistency. We understand it is a must-win game for them and they are under pressure, put some runs on the board and put pressure on them," Saad Bin Zafar said at the toss.
