NEW DELHI: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has weighed in on the prowess of pacers from India and Pakistan, asserting that while they are evenly matched in terms of skill, the trio of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah from Pakistan holds an advantage on flat pitches due to their formidable pace and variations.
In the recent Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan in Pallekele, these three Pakistani speedsters managed to dismantle the entire Indian batting lineup, taking all 10 wickets. Despite their success, the match was washed out owing to persistent rain.
Karthik, analysing the strengths of the Pakistani trio, emphasised the bounce they extracted from the pitch and the unique attributes they bring to the table.
"Shaheen, Haris Rauf and Naseem can bowl 90-plus consistently and all three are very different. Shaheen Shah, obviously the left arm, has an angle to it and brings the ball back in, Naseem Shah swings the ball both ways," observed Karthik in an interview with Cricbuzz.
1/10:Asia Cup: India, Pakistan blockbuster ends in no result
AFP
2/10:India vs Pakistan
<p>Rain forced a no result in the blockbuster Asia Cup clash between India and Pakistan after just one innings of play on Saturday. </p>AP
3/10:Shaheen Shah Afridi
<p>Pakistan bowled out India for 266 in 48.5 overs with Shaheen Shah Afridi taking 4-35, but no further play was possible due to persistent rain in Pallekele. </p>AFP
4/10:India won the toss
<p>India elected to bat in their opening match of the tournament but slipped to 66-4 after a devastating opening spell by left-arm quick Afridi. </p>AP
5/10:Wrecker-in-chief
<p>Afridi rattled the opposition top order, taking the key wickets of skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli -- both the batsmen bowled. </p>AP
6/10:Rohit Sharma
<p>Rohit swung Afridi for a couple of fours, but the pacer had his revenge on the first ball following a 33-minute stoppage to bowl the Indian captain for 11. </p>AP
7/10:Ripper!
<p>Afridi bowled to Rohit on a length around the off and the ball nipped back in to beat the opener's defence and rattled the off stump. </p>AP
8/10:Virat Kohli
<p>Afridi then silenced the largely Indian crowd with the wicket of Kohli (4), who inside-edged an incoming delivery onto his stumps. </p>AFP
9/10:Pak pacers
<p>Afridi got able support from fellow quicks Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, both of whom picked up three wickets each. </p>Getty Images
10/10:Haris Rauf
<p>Haris Rauf dismissed the returning Shreyas Iyer as India slipped to 48-3 and soon lost opener Shubman Gill for 10 after a second rain interval. </p>Getty Images"Haris is arguably one of the best bowlers right now at the back end of an inning because of his skid and the nasty bouncer that he's got," he added.
Karthik went on to express his view that these Pakistani bowlers present a more formidable challenge on flat pitches.
"For me, they (Pakistani bowlers) are a far more potent attack on flat wickets. If there is something in the pitch, then both attacks (India and Pakistan) at all times become very equal but if I had to play an attack I have a feeling," he asserted.
Karthik also noted that the trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami from India might produce slightly less bounce compared to their Pakistani counterparts.
(With inputs from PTI)
