“He might be better off becoming a batter” - India’s World Cup-winning star's brutal remarks on Shaheen Afridi after IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 match

Former Indian captain Kris Srikkanth brutally slammed ace Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi after the one-sided encounter between the teams in the 2025 Asia Cup on September 14. Pakistan stuttered throughout their batting innings and reached 127/9 in 20 overs, thanks mainly to Shaheen's 16-ball 33*.

However, with Pakistan seeking inspiration from their talisman, the left-arm pacer endured a forgettable spell with the ball. Team India opener Abhishek Sharma smashed him in his opening two overs for 23 runs in a tone-setting powerplay.

Talking about Shaheen Afridi's pedestrian outing with the ball on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said (9:06):

"He has neither swing nor pace. He might be better off becoming a batter. He's actually batting better than the other Pakistan batters. I still don't know how they made the final of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Abhishek Sharma is playing Shaheen Shah Afridi like tennis ball cricket. He's hitting sixes for fun against him like you would do in a tennis ball game. Indians reduced Shaheen Afridi to a nothing bowler."

After being on the receiving end of a hammering, Shaheen Afridi did not complete his four overs, finishing with match figures of 0/23 in two overs. Meanwhile, Team India completed their run chase of 128 with ease in 15.5 overs with seven wickets in hand.

"Don't make noise with your mouth, let the bat and ball do the talking" - Kris Srikkanth

Kris Srikkanth slammed Pakistan's head coach and captain, Mike Hesson, and Salman Agha, for their overconfidence before the clash against India. With the Men in Green coming off an impressive tri-series win before the Asia Cup at the same venue, the duo talked up their chances against a powerful Indian lineup.

However, another one-sided encounter took India's overall edge in T20Is over Pakistan to 11-3.

"On top of all this, their captain (Salman Agha) is confidently saying during the toss about how they've been doing well in the tri-series and been here in Dubai for a long time. You can be in Dubai for 20 days or 20 years, with this kind of a team, you won't win any game. The captain talks big, the coach talks big. Don't make noise with your mouth, let the bat and ball do the talking," said Srikkanth (via the aforementioned source).

With the thumping win, India are on top of Group A with two victories in as many matches. Meanwhile, Pakistan are second with one win in their two outings, followed by the winless Oman and UAE.

Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news

Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran