WATCH: Haris Rauf’s sendoff to Ishan Kishan during India Vs Pakistan clash in Asia Cup 2023

Team India is currently locking horns with Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in Kandy, Sri Lanka which happens to be the opening fixture of Men in Blue in the 16th edition of the Asia Cup. Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first.

During the Indian innings, star Pakistan bowler, Haris Rauf dismissed India’s wicketkeeper-batter, Ishan Kishan, and gave a big send-off to him. The dismissal took place in the 38th over of India’s innings. Rauf bowled a back-of-a-length delivery around off-stump, Kishan went for a pull, but the ball hit the bottom edge.

Pakistan skipper, Babar Azam grabbed the catch. Rauf was extremely happy after getting rid of the youngster and made gestures with his hand asking the 25-year-old to go back to the pavilion. Kishan before going back to the pavilion scored 82 runs from 81 balls which included nine fours and two sixes in his innings.

Watch the video below: 

Haris Rauf's aggression 🔥🔥🔥 #AsiaCup2023 #AsiaCuppic.twitter.com/nwRgDopb5w

— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) September 2, 2023

Mohammad Shami would’ve been more threatening to Pakistan than Shardul Thakur: Sanjay Manjrekar

If we talk about the game, the visitors were bundled out for 266 runs in 48.5 overs they played in the first innings. The highest scorer for the side was their star all-rounder, Hardik Pandya who scored 87 runs off 90 balls with seven fours and a six in his innings.

For the Green Brigade, the pick of the bowler was Shaheen Afridi who snapped four wickets in his spell of 10 overs. The left-arm seamer conceded 35 runs and bowled two maiden overs in his spell. Three wickets each were grabbed by Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf in their respective spells where they conceded 36 runs and 58 runs respectively.

Team India has dropped star India pacer, Mohammad Shami for this match and brought in all-rounder, Shardul Thakur in place of him. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar slammed the 36-year-old for dropping the seamer.

The 58-year-old opined that Shami would be more dangerous than Thakur if he had been included in the team for the Pakistan clash. “Mohammad Shami would’ve been more threatening to Pakistan than Shardul Thakur. You talk about batting depth, but bowling depth matters too,” Manjrekar was quoted as saying in the pre-show