‘Facing Shaheen Shah Afridi is a different cup of tea’ – Matthew Hayden after Indian batters’ struggles against Pakistan pacer

Former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden reckoned that facing deliveries of around 130 kph during the Indian Premier League isn’t the same as facing Shaheen Shah Afridi. The veteran, who’s working as Pakistan’s batting consultant in the T20 World Cup 2021, said that the Indian batters were taken aback by Afridi’s pace after they faced military medium pace during the IPL.

On Sunday, October 24, Afridi ran through Team India’s top-order after he got rid of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in his opening spell. Then he came back to dismiss Virat Kohli, who scored a half-century. The Men in Green won the match by 10 wickets and Afridi got the Player of the Match award for his stupendous display of bowling at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Matthew Hayden opines

“The Indian batters had been facing 130 kph deliveries for the last month during the IPL. It’s a different cup of tea when you are facing someone running and bowling at Shaheen Shah Afridi’s pace,” Hayden was quoted as saying in Pak Passion.

Hayden was also amazed to see a great amount of brotherhood between players of the two teams. Even as the scenario outside got heated up, the players showed sportsmanspirit on the ground. Kohli and MS Dhoni, Team India’s mentor, were seen having a chat with the Pakistan cricketers after the end of the match.

“The thing that inspired me the most out of the performance was the fantastic sporting brotherhood,” Hayden had said.

“That’s the role of sport, so it’s beautiful to see those moments where MS Dhoni is holding court with a few of the (Pakistan) players and Virat Kohli and (Rizwan), you know, in brotherhood, joining hands after there was heated battles in the middle,” he added.

Hayden, in the meantime, was appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board after head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis stepped down from their respective positions. South Africa’s Vernon Philander was roped in as Pakistan’s bowling consultant.

Having beaten India and New Zealand, Pakistan are sitting on top of the table in their group. Their next match is against Mohammad Nabi’s Afghanistan on Friday, October 29.