ICC World T20 | Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul seem intimated and scared, reckons Shoaib Akhtar

10/26/2022

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Shoaib Akhtar has remarked that the Indian openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, who departed cheaply against Pakistan, seem to be not confident enough to play aggressively at the T20 World Cup. Although Rohit and Rahul made little impact, Virat Kohli made headlines to guide India to a famous victory.

After restricting Pakistan to 159/8 in their recent ICC World T20 encounter at the MCG, Indian openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma did not get them off to a decent start. While Rahul was dismissed by Naseem Shah in the second over, Rohit lost his wicket a few minutes later, to Haris Rauf. Both the openers scored four runs each before returning to the pavilion, leading India to be on the verge of a humiliating defeat. They were 31/4 at one point until Virat Kohli stepped up and turned the tide for India. Kohli and Hardik Pandya stitched a 110-run stand for the fifth wicket for revival, and then the former and R Ashwin did the rest to take their side past the finishing line on the last ball of the contest.

Despite their defeat, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar was bothered about the batting approach of Rohit and Rahul. Akhtar opined both Rahul and Rohit are failing to live up to the expectations due to different reasons, and also suggested what they need to be done.

"India openers ki baat karenge, thore dabe lag rahe hai, thode dare-dare lag rahe hai. Rohit Sharma as a captain apne aap ko calm down kare, apni batting gawa raha hai aur KL Rahul jyada focus karke khudko fasa raha hai, wo na kare (India's openers are looking intimidated and scared. Rohit needs to calm down as a captain, his batting is bearing the brunt of it. KL Rahul is getting trapped because of his extra focused approach, he shouldn't do so)," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.

India will next face the Netherlands at the CSG on October 27 while Pakistan will go up against Zimbabwe after that on the same date.