Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma’s Master Plan to Neutralize Shaheen Afridi in Champions Trophy 2025

The India vs Pakistan clash in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to be a blockbuster showdown. With emotions running high and history on the line, both teams are leaving nothing to chance. The last time these two arch-rivals met at the Dubai International Stadium in an ICC event, Pakistan made history with a stunning 10-wicket victory over India in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

That unforgettable night saw Shaheen Afridi rip through India’s top order, dismissing Rohit Sharma for a golden duck, KL Rahul for 1, and eventually removing Virat Kohli for 57. Since then, India has dominated the rivalry, winning four of their last five ICC encounters against Pakistan. But despite India’s recent success, one thing remains clear—Shaheen Afridi continues to be the biggest threat to India’s top order.

As the two sides prepare for their high-stakes clash on Sunday, February 23, India has devised a special strategy to counter Afridi’s lethal pace and swing. In an unexpected move, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have roped in a left-arm pacer from the UAE to replicate Shaheen Afridi’s bowling in the nets.

India’s Special Training Plan: Enter Awais Ahmad

In a bid to nullify Afridi’s early impact, India’s team management has gone the extra mile. Awais Ahmad, a left-arm pacer from the UAE, has been called in to simulate Afridi’s bowling style in practice sessions for Kohli and Rohit.

Ahmad, who plays domestic cricket in the UAE for 7 District, shared his excitement about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“My name is Awais Ahmad, and I am a domestic cricketer in the UAE, playing for 7 District. I have been active for three seasons. I have a connection with Pakistan as I belong to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the same district as Naseem Shah. Our coach received an SMS that a left-arm fast bowler was needed, and he informed me that I would be bowling to Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the nets,” Awais told SportsYaari.

Awais is eager to test his skills against two of the world’s greatest batters.

“Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are legends of the game. I will try my best to test them with both in-swing and out-swing deliveries. If I can trouble them, it will be a great achievement.”

Avoiding the 2021 Nightmare: Why This Preparation Matters?

India’s campaign in the 2021 T20 World Cup was derailed by a nightmare start—back-to-back defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand led to an early exit. That disastrous tournament remains one of the rare ICC events where India failed to reach the semi-finals.

This time, Rohit Sharma and his men are determined to start strong and avoid repeating history.

Since that fateful 10-wicket loss, India has been dominant in ICC events against Pakistan:

• Asia Cup 2022 (Super 4s) – India won by 5 wickets
• T20 World Cup 2022 – India won by 4 wickets (Kohli’s epic 82*)
• Asia Cup 2023 (ODI) – India won by 228 runs
• World Cup 2023 (ODI) – India won by 7 wickets

The only defeat came in the Asia Cup 2022 group stage, where Pakistan won by 5 wickets in a close chase.

With Pakistan still boasting a world-class pace attack, India cannot afford a slow start in this high-pressure clash.

India’s Game Plan Against Pakistan’s Bowling Attack

India’s approach to countering Shaheen Afridi and Pakistan’s bowling unit will revolve around three crucial strategies:

Survive the Early Overs

Shaheen Afridi’s deadliest weapon is his new-ball swing. India’s openers, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, will need to be extra cautious in the first few overs to prevent a repeat of the 2021 collapse.

Solid Middle-Order Stability

If early wickets fall, India will rely on Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and Suryakumar Yadav to steady the innings. Kohli, in particular, has a history of performing under pressure in India-Pakistan encounters.

Counter-Attack When Needed

Players like Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant have the ability to shift gears and take on Pakistan’s bowlers. If India finds itself in trouble, expect an aggressive counter-attack to put the pressure back on Pakistan.

A Clash of Pride, Pressure & Power

The India vs Pakistan showdown in the Champions Trophy 2025 is more than just a cricket match—it’s a high-stakes battle of pride, pressure, and performance.

While India enters as the stronger team on paper, Pakistan has proven time and again that they can pull off upsets when it matters most. The added preparation of bringing in Awais Ahmad shows that India is taking no chances.

As the cricketing world turns its eyes toward Sunday’s epic encounter, one question remains:

Will India continue their dominant run against Pakistan, or will Shaheen Afridi produce another magic spell to turn the tide?

One thing is for sure—this is a match no cricket fan will want to miss!