Ramiz Raja reveals strategy with Babar Azam to dismiss Rohit Sharma in T20 World Cup 2022

Shaheen Afridi celebrating Rohit Sharma's wicket in T20 WC 2021 (PC: Twitter)

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja has revealed the planning with Babar Azam, which went through to plot a strategy to dismiss Rohit Sharma in T20 World Cup 2021.

Raja, while speaking to BBC Podcast reckoned that before Pakistan were leaving for the UAE last year, he asked Babar about his strategy to get rid of his Indian counterpart early. 

Raja then said that he advised Babar to urge bowling Shaheen Afridi to bowl at his maximum speed and deliver an inswinging yorker. The 60-year-old also guided the Pakistan skipper to keep the fielder at a short leg and avoid getting Sharma off-strike. 

Interestingly, Shaheen bowled a pitch-perfect yorker to find Rohit Plumb in front and dismissed him for a duck in the first over. In his second over, the belligerent pacer breached the defense of KL Rahul as well. 

“I can tell you how to get rid of Rohit Sharma right now and Babar was intrigued. I said get Shaheen Afridi bowling at 100mph, get a man at short-leg. Just bowl that inswinging yorker at 100mph and do not give him a single and keep him on strike. You will get him out," said Raja. 

Devoid of a good start, India could score only 151 on the board, with Virat Kohli contributing 57 off 49. In response, Pakistan chased down the total easily with terrific knocks from Mohammad Rizwan (79*) and Babar (68*). 

Shaheen missed the Asia Cup 2022 due to knee injury. However, he has now recovered and will be seen in action in the T20 WC. 

It will be interesting to see if the 22-year-old pacer can provide early breakthroughs, when India and Pakistan clash on Sunday (October 23) in Melbourne. 

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