Pakistan’s journey in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 shifts to Chennai, where they are set to face Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium this Monday.
Following this encounter, Pakistan will remain in the city to square off against South Africa on October 27, marking their second and final match in this leg of the tournament.
Having participated in four matches thus far, Pakistan currently holds the fifth position on the points table, securing two wins and suffering two losses.
After a thrilling series of victories against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, including a record-breaking successful chase in tournament history, Pakistan has faced some challenging moments.
As Pakistan aims to leave Chennai with a 4-2 record, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi is optimistic that the lessons learned from their last two matches will prove invaluable in their upcoming fixtures.
He expressed his commitment, stating that we understand the expectations placed on our team, and we are determined to meet them.
Acknowledging the importance of learning from losses, Shaheen Afridi added that while defeats are tough to swallow, they provide valuable lessons.
These past two matches were crucial for us, and we are very much in contention for the tournament. Our ultimate goal is to create history by winning the World Cup.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, will be playing their second consecutive match in Chennai. Their experience of competing against New Zealand, albeit in a loss, might offer insights, and they are riding high on their recent triumph against England.
Chennai is renowned for its spin-friendly conditions. Considering this, Shaheen Afridi outlined the role of himself and his fellow pacers, stating, “India boasts several venues that favor spinners, and Chennai is one of them. As fast bowlers, our responsibility is to exploit the reverse swing opportunities during the middle and later stages of the game.”
Despite a strong opening partnership featuring centurions David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, Pakistan’s bowlers managed to limit Australia to 367 runs in Bengaluru, one of the high-scoring venues.
Shaheen Afridi, delivering a tight spell early on, went on to claim five wickets, securing his second five-wicket haul in consecutive 50-over World Cup editions.
The left-arm pacer concluded with impressive figures of five for 54 from his 10 overs in conditions typically favorable to batsmen.
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