Dinesh Karthik Prefers Pakistan’s Pace Attack Over India’s: Asia Cup 2023

Indian wicketkeeper turned commentator, Dinesh Karthik, has expressed his preference for Pakistan’s pace attack over the Indian counterparts. He shared his thoughts on the trio of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen Shah Afridi and found them deadly in the Sri Lankan wickets.

Karthik’s Assessment of Pakistan’s Pace Attack

“Shaheen, Haris Rauf, and Naseem can bowl 90 consistently and all three are very different. Shaheen Shah, obviously the left arm, has an angle to it and brings the ball back in, Naseem Shah swings the ball both ways, Haris is arguably one of the best bowlers right now at the back end of an inning because of his skid and the nasty bouncer that he’s got.”

Karthik spoke to Cricbuzz where he praised the unique qualities of the Pakistani pacers. He mentioned the distinctiveness of each bowler’s style and their ability to consistently bowl at a high speed. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s left-arm angle and ability to swing the ball in, Naseem Shah’s ability to swing the ball both ways, and Haris Rauf’s skiddy deliveries and aggressive bouncers all impressed Karthik.

Comparison with Indian Pacers

On being asked whom he would prefer to bat against on these challenging wickets, Karthik found Indian pacers, including Mohammad Siraj, Mohammad Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah, more comfortable to face. He attributed this preference to the bounce generated by the Pakistani trio off the pitch.

“For me, they are a far more potent attack on flat wickets. If there is something in the pitch then both attacks at all times become very equal but if I had to play an attack I have a feeling,” said Karthik.

“I have a better chance of probably playing Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami only because the bounce they’ll get will be slightly lesser than what these three other bowlers can do from Pakistan.”

Karthik elaborated on his viewpoint, explaining that while the Pakistani pace attack excels on flat pitches, the Indian pacers may have an advantage on pitches with less bounce. He believes that facing Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami would be slightly easier due to the reduced bounce compared to Pakistan’s fiery trio.

Pakistan’s Dominance in the Match

The Pakistani pace trio showcased their prowess by claiming all ten wickets that fell during a match on Saturday night. However, the game was called off due to rain, resulting in both teams sharing a point each. Pakistan, with three points, qualified for the next stage of the tournament.

Shaheen Afridi’s Stand-Out Performance

Shaheen Afridi emerged as the standout bowler for Pakistan in the match, having dismissed key Indian players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja. His early breakthroughs, including the wickets of Rohit and Virat within the first six overs, put immense pressure on the Indian side.

It was the resistance displayed by Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya that allowed India to post a competitive score after losing four wickets for only 66 runs.

(This story has not been edited by Smartkhabrinews staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – IANS)

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Asia Cup 2023, Dinesh Karthik, Pakistan pace attack, Indian pacers, Shaheen Afridi, Cricket, Asia Cup, Sports