'Don't think Rohit is able to read Shaheen..': Shoaib Akhtar's comments on 'beaten' India captain

livemint.com:

International Cricket Stadium in Kandy in the Asia Cup 2023 on 2 September – being called off due to rains, it has critics enough points to discuss how the next match between the two World Cup winners. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to bat first in the match. However, a fiery spell by Pakistan's pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf forced the Indians to rethink their strategy once again.

Be it Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, or Virat Kohli, all had no answers to the brilliant bowling attack by the Pakistani pacers and lost their wickets in the powerplay itself. Apart from Ishan Kishan (82) and Hardik Pandya (87), no other could handle the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and the youngster Naseem Shah. ALSO READ: Asia Cup 2023: India vs Pakistan match called off due to rain, here's updated points table of all teams Kishan and Pandya forged a remarkable 138-run partnership for the fifth wicket after India was left reeling at 66/4.

Due to this partnership, India managed to reach a score of 266 in 48.5 overs. Reacting to the dismissal of Rohit Sharma, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar even insisted the Indian skipper can 'do much better'. "What a spell it was by Shaheen Afridi, what a bowler he is.

Everyone knows what he will do, pitch it fully and bring it back in, and despite that, Rohit Sharma had no answer. But, what is Rohit Sharma supposed to do, in his defense, he had last played him in 2022, and he does not get the opportunity to face him too often," HT quoted Akhtar as he began talking about the game on his official YouTube channel. “I don't think Rohit can read or understand Shaheen at all.