Former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt believes that the Pakistan team will hold a slight advantage over the arch-rivals India in the high-octane encounter on Saturday and feels that Shaheen Afridi will hold the key for his team against the Rohit Sharma-led side in Kandy.
The World No.1 side Pakistan has been performing consistently in the ODI format of the game, producing some memorable in 50 over format. The Men in Green have all their boxes ticked going into the marquee clash against India producing a remarkable and dominating win over Nepal in the Asia Cup opener.
On the other hand, Team India would come into the contest with solid preparation, after having a good break after the West Indies tour.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Salman Butt feels that both teams have done very well in recent times and expects a very good game between India and Pakistan. Butt asserted that the performance of the key players would be vital for the team’s success on the given day and also highlighted the importance of Virat Kohli in the Indian team.
“When I say non-cricket reasons, I mean ifs and buts in selection, clarity in plans, available resources, and current state of mind, But no doubt, both teams have great credentials and I expect a very good match. If it is a Pakistan and India game, it is no fun if it is a one-sided game,” Salman Butt said.
“The performance of key players on a particular day is important. You can always expect out-of-the-box performances from someone new but I think (the) key players will count. Virat (Kohli) is the sort of a player who, once he settles down, has the ability to also make the other players bat through and he finishes off matches,” Salman Butt added.
The last game between India and Pakistan in MCG turned out to be a memorable one, as India won the thrilling encounter in the final over of the game and the fans and experts would be expecting another closely fought game between both sides in Sri Lanka.
I Have Never Seen Any Bowler Bowl With Such Accuracy – Salman Butt
Salman Butt feels that Shaheen Afridi’s spell against India will be crucial for Pakistan’s success at the top of the order, as he has picked up wickets upfront in most of the games and said that he hasn’t seen a bowler with accuracy in International cricket in such long time.
“Everyone knows Shaheen will bowl in-swing and he gets wickets regularly. He is a special bowler, he has (got) special trade, He can bowl in-swinging yorkers at pace with the new ball (and) that is his hallmark. I have never seen any bowler bowl with such accuracy in the first few overs,” Salman Butt further added.
Shaheen Shah Afridi has made a name for himself with his brilliant performances for Pakistan at the international level in all three formats of the game. He can get the ball to move either way at a high pace with the new ball and can be crucial for the Babar Azam-led side in the game against India on Saturday.