In the highly anticipated Asia Cup 2023 opener, India is slated to face offagainst their longstanding rivals, Pakistan, this Saturday. Offering aglimmer of relief for the Indian team, it appears that Pakistan’s prominentfast bowler, Shaheen Afridi, might be absent from the clash against India,which is scheduled to occur in just two days.
During Pakistan’s inaugural match against Nepal in Multan on Wednesday,there arose a sense of concern surrounding the nation’s premier paceman,Shaheen Afridi. Limited to a mere five overs in the game, Afridi managed tosecure two wickets before departing from the field following a discussionwith the team’s physiotherapist near the boundary ropes.
This development brings forth unfavorable tidings for the fervent Pakistanisupporters who were eagerly anticipating Afridi’s confrontation withIndia’s formidable batsmen. Regrettably, the status of his injury remainsundisclosed, leaving the situation in suspense. Considering Afridi’sintegral role in Pakistan’s lineup, his potential absence could deal asignificant blow to the team’s prospects.
Interestingly, as co-hosts of the tournament, Pakistan has the prospect ofcrossing paths with India on multiple occasions throughout the 2023 AsiaCup. Intriguingly, the rivalry might play out three times in intenseencounters within a span of two weeks, leading up to the World Cup hostedby India.
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In the context of the 50-over format of the Asia Cup, Team India enjoys anupper hand against Pakistan, having triumphed in seven out of the thirteenmatches played between the two teams. Notably, Pakistan, the formerchampions, have managed to secure victory against India on five instancesin One Day Internationals within the Asia Cup tournament
