Mohammad Hafeez explains why R Ashwin didn’t play: The former Pakistani all-rounder explained why India didn’t play their off-spinner.
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Expected to tinker with their combination, India made a total of three changes to their Playing XI for Asia Cup 2022 Super 4 match against Pakistan in Dubai last night.
While all-rounder Hardik Pandya was a certainty to be included in the Playing XI, India also had to make a couple of forced changes to replace injured all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and unwell pacer Avesh Khan. Jadeja’s absence was felt dearly primarily because India had to rejig their combination to replace him.
Having said that, despite all the changes, veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin continued to warm the bench as India preferred a couple of leg-spinners in Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi. Picking Bishnoi over Ashwin had it in it to be a debatable decision but the former did justice to the selection with bowling figures of 4-0-26-1.
Mohammad Hafeez explains why R Ashwin didn’t play India vs Pakistan Asia Cup Super 4 match
While India captain Rohit Sharma wasn’t asked about the rationale behind not including Ashwin into the Playing XI, former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez believes that Ashwin’s absence in recent India vs Pakistan matches was due to him conceding a couple of sixes against former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi eight years ago.
“Shahid bhai, bahut-bahut shukriya. Woh jo Asia Cup 2014 mein aapne do chakke lagaa ke match finish kiya na, yeh uska impact hai [Thank you, Shahid Afridi. It is the impact of your two sixes to finish an Asia Cup 2014 match],” Hafeez said in a video posted on his Twitter account.
Hafeez, who has been in the limelight due to his analysis for PTV Sports in Pakistan lately, provided his rationale in an amusing manner. The match which Hafeez referred to was an Asia Cup 2014 league match in Mirpur.
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Needing nine runs off four balls with one wicket in hand to seal a 246-run chase, Afridi had hit Ashwin for back-to-back sixes to win the match. Batting at No. 3, Hafeez had top-scored for Pakistan in that match with his 75 (117) comprising of three fours and two sixes.
Meanwhile, Ashwin has picked 13 wickets in as many white-ball matches against Pakistan at an average of 36.61, an economy rate of 5.08 and a strike rate of 43.2. The 35-year old player hasn’t faced Pakistan since ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final at The Oval.
