The much-anticipated India versus Pakistan clash in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup is all set to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday (October 14).
Ahead of the marquee fixture, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has issued a warning to the Indian openers, saying that Pakistan’s pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi could be the biggest threat for them and might prove to be decisive in deciding the result of the match.
"I think Shaheen Shah Afridi against the Indian openers (is important)," Shastri told ICC.
"It's a given that that's going to be the test, that it's going to be the challenge. Whoever wins that will go a long way towards dictating terms in that game."
Shastri also believes ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah brings X-factor to the Indian team and will trouble the opposition batters if he gets going.
"I think Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, because we know Bumrah is an x-factor, and if he gets it right he'll be a thrill to watch. And Siraj I think has come of age. He's one of the most improved bowlers in world cricket, and can do wonderful things with the ball, it comes naturally to him. He can swing it, he can seam it, he's got a great seam presentation. So I think these two will be great to watch if they're on song," he said.
India’s star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepped up to the plate and played match-winning knocks for the team in the first two World Cup matches.
According to Shastri, if any of the two batters gets a hundred, score over a 300 will be in touching distance.
"I think at the top, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be key. If they both get going and one gets a hundred, I emphasise that 300, 320, 330, that is very much a possibility," he remarked.
For Ravi Shastri, the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's uppercut against Shoaib Akhtar remains the most iconic moment from India versus Pakistan World Cup encounters of the past.
"Without a shadow of a doubt Sachin Tendulkar's uppercut against Shoaib Akhtar, because, in a pressure match, played at the Centurion, it's probably one of the finest innings I've seen Sachin play," he opined.
