In what is expected to be a “edge of the seat” encounter in Sunday’s Asia Cup final, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel, who has worked with both of the cricketers, says Abhishek Sharma’s flamboyance will be matched by Shaheen Shah Afridi’s accuracy.
Morkel previously had a brief stint with the Pakistani side as a bowling consultant, where he had the opportunity to work with the left-arm pacer.
“Shaheen is obviously an aggressive bowler that will try and knock you over. And Abhishek is not going to hold back. I think so far, every time these two went head-to-head, we all as cricket supporters and fans are on the edge of our seats, and that’s great for the game,” Morkel said.
The two players are 25 years old. Though Shaheen has been around for a while, Abhishek, a left-hander, has taken world cricket by storm with his dazzling strokeplay in the Asia Cup.
The Indian has been rock-solid across six games, piling up three half-centuries and three more knocks of 30-plus without a single failure. In both India-Pakistan clashes at the Asia Cup, Abhishek has taken Shaheen to the cleaners.
On September 21, Abhishek hooked Afridi for a six behind square after beginning the September 14 match with a straight-driven boundary off a full-toss.
“Yeah, so let’s look forward to that on Sunday and enjoy the battle,” the former Proteas pace ace added on the two once again locking horns during Sunday’s grand finale.
