‘Treated Shaheen Afridi like a net-ball spinner’: Sunil Gavaskar’s scathing assessment of Pakan pacer’s struggle against India | Cricket News

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar heaped praise on India’s thumping batting performance during their six-wicket win over Pakan in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 in Dubai on Sunday. The 76-year-old Gavaskar was particularly effusive in his praise for batter Tilak Varma and lauded him for his dominance over Pakan pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi to close out the match with seven balls to spare.
After the chase was lit up a belligerent opening stand between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, totalling 105 runs in only 9.5 overs, Afridi ended up conceding 40 runs in only 3.5 overs without finding a breakthrough. While Gavaskar highlighted Pakan’s improved batting performance from the previous group-stage skirmish between the sides in Dubai, he highlighted how the left-handed Tilak was able to constrict the pacers, as if to treat the occasion as a hit in the nets.
“When the second match came along, there was an improved batting performance Pakan in the first half before the loss of threewickets put them on the back foot again, and despite getting big runs in the final three overs, they were 20 runs shorter than what they would have wanted,” Gavaskar wrote in his Sportstar column.
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“India breezed to a win after a delightful opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill that took the breath away and crushed any hopes the Pakanis had of winning the game. In the end, another super-talented batter, Tilak Varma, treated Pakan’s premier bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, like a net-ball spinner and smashed him around to wrap a win with deliveries to spare.”
The win ensured India moved ahead in the race to the finals, amidst another Pakan encounter that was alive with theatrics and heated exchanges on the field.
“Of course, there were no handshakes but only head shakes from the Pakan bowlers as to how to bowl to these Indian batters who start the game in fifth gear. There are a few days left before India’s next game, and it will be interesting to see what excuses the Pakanis come up with this time for another drubbing from the country they love to hate,” Gavaskar remarked. Story continues below this ad
In a quest to remain in the hunt for the final and a potential meeting against India within the fortnight, Pakan will take on Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi in the Super Fours on Tuesday night.