"Pakistan's strength has become their weakness" - Aakash Chopra on Men in Green's bowling heading into World Cup 2023 clash vs India
Aakash Chopra feels Pakistan's bowling is no longer their strength heading into their World Cup 2023 clash against India.
The arch-rivals will lock horns at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Both sides have won their respective first two matches and a positive result for either team in the crunch game could go a long way in sealing their spot in the semi-finals.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that the Pakistan team and their experts are not exhibiting enough confidence and that their bowling is not as potent as earlier.
"You don't see that much confidence in the Pakistan camp and on their experts' faces and views. They don't have the confidence that they will win because there are a lot of gaps visible," he explained.
"Bowling - Pakistan's strength has become their weakness. It's being said that Shaheen Shah Afridi's third finger is swollen because of which he is unable to hold the ball properly. He is finding it very difficult," Chopra added.
Chopra isn't too convinced about Pakistan's entire bowling lineup.
"Hasan Ali is doing well but we don't know if we will continue to do well. Haris Rauf has looked off-color. Shadab Khan is unable to pitch the ball at the right spot. Mohammad Nawaz is looking extremely flat. I don't know whether they will play Usama Mir," he said.
Pakistan conceded 344 runs in their last match against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad, with virtually all their bowlers taken to the cleaners.
However, they still won the game by six wickets, with Mohammad Rizwan and Abdullah Shafique scoring enterprising centuries.
"Babar has never scored a fifty against India" - Aakash Chopra
![Babar Azam has been dismissed cheaply in Pakistan's first two games. [P/C: AP]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/10/464bb-16971756840721-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra also highlighted Pakistan's batting issues including Babar Azam's indifferent ODI record against India. He said (9:55):
"Babar has never scored a fifty against India. It seems like Imam-ul-Haq can get out to a short ball anytime. Even Chacha (Iftikhar Ahmed) down the order hasn't scored that many runs."
The reputed commentator concluded by stating that the Men in Green are not looking as strong as they seemed to be one-and-a-half months back.
While observing that he isn't sure how Pakistan will play, he picked Rohit Sharma and Co. as the favorites and opined that they will win the game.