In the current ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium, star speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi once again displayed his genius by dismissing captain Rohit Sharma with a stunning inswinging yorker. The stunning delivery immediately reminded me of the ball he used to snare Rohit plumb in front for a golden duck during the 2021 T20 World Cup.
After a respectable innings against Bangladesh in the team’s tournament opener, Rohit was the key to India’s aspirations as they chased 242. The 37-year-old got off to a fantastic start, mixing the ball nicely and hitting a classic pick-up shot for a six. In the process, he became just the sixth hitter to amass 9,000 runs as an opener in ODIs.
After finding it difficult to generate swing in his opening two overs, Shaheen Afridi changed his line and chose to use hard lengths to force the Mumbai batsman back before using his trump card.
The fifth over was when the event took place. The left-armer hit a late-swinging yorker at 143 kmph that slid between the batter’s bat and boot before slamming into the middle stump. The quality of the delivery was beyond Rohit’s control, even though he tried his hardest to find an explanation. After scoring 20 runs off 15 deliveries, including three boundaries and one six, the Indian captain’s innings was over.
Shaheen you beauty 🔥🔥
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Many were reminded of their 2021 T20 World Cup match at the same location by this dismissal. Afridi had previously set up Rohit with a longer length before trapping him leg before wicket with an inswinger. This dismissal marks the third and fifth occasion, including three in ODIs and two in T20Is, that the Indian batting master has fallen victim to the Pakistani pacer.
The Men in Green won the toss at the start of the game and chose to bat first. With 62 from Saud Shakeel and 46 from Mohammad Rizwan, they finished with a score of 241. Hardik Pandya (2/31) and Kuldeep Yadav (3/40) made sure the goal was within sight for India.
India
