‘Enjoyed Rohit’s wicket more’

The way India's Rohit Sharma took guard to face the first delivery of the game, bowled by Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi, during the two sides' Asia Cup Group A game in Pallekele yesterday, it was clear what was going in the mind of the Indian skipper.

Standing with legs not covering the line of the three stumps, Rohit's strategy must have been to avoid what had happened two years back in Dubai during the T20 World Cup in 2021 -- an LBW.

Rohit seemed to have the upper hand for a while, flicking Afridi for two boundaries. But the Pakistan quick still had the last laugh when he got through the defenses of one of the best ODI batters afterthe first of many rain breaks throughout the game. A quick fuller delivery that nipped back ever so slightly beat the inside edge of Rohit and crashed onto his stumps.

Afridi quickly followed it up with yet another crucial wicket -- that of Virat Kohli -- in his very next over.

And it was not at all surprising to discover which of the two Afridi enjoyed the most.

"I think both were crucial wickets, but I think I enjoyed Rohit's more," said Afridi, who returned figures of four for 35 in 10 overs that included two maidens.