T20 World Cup: Bumrah Test Awaits for Pakistan as Opener Sahibzada Farhan Plots Powerplay Assault

Pakistan will hinge their hopes on two men when they take on India in Colombo on Sunday, opener Sahibzada Farhan and spinner Usman Tariq, whose sling action has already drawn attention in the ICC T20 World Cup.

Farhan arrives at the high profile game in confident touch, having struck 73 off 41 balls in the lead up to the contest against USA on February 10.

Tariq, meanwhile, turned the tables on the Americans with a captivating spell of 3 for 27, underlining the threat he poses on low and slow Sri Lankan surfaces.

Pakistan cancelled their practice session in Colombo on Thursday evening and will resume preparations from Friday. Team India is scheduled to reach Colombo on Friday evening.

India’s Ishan Kishan, speaking after the post match presentation following his side’s win over Namibia on Thursday, addressed the challenge of facing Tariq’s sidearm action.

What Is Ishan Kishan’s Preparation Plan to Counter Usman Tariq’s Sling Action?

Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus, an off spinner with a similar action, claimed a four wicket haul in that match, something Kishan described as a valuable learning experience ahead of the February 15 encounter.

“So if the ball is there, as a batter, we just feel like going in because it's a T20 game. And we are trying to set a good total on board. But we do have to believe in our strength as well,” he added.

“There's nothing like you have to prepare. I think at this level, we just watch a few videos, and we get an idea of what kind of bowling is going to happen. So we are just keeping it simple. Yeah, he bowled pretty well today, and I think there was quite a bit of learning for us for our team as well today," said Kishan.

Kishan also reflected on the conditions against Namibia, noting that although the pitch appeared flat, the ball was holding up initially, making it difficult to clear the ropes.

He and Sanju Samson chose to bide their time and capitalise on loose deliveries.

Why Does Ishan Kishan Call Himself a ‘Changed Man’ Before the India vs Pakistan T20?

The left hander spoke about the shift in his mindset following Jharkhand’s maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph under his captaincy last year, a campaign that paved his return to the national side.

"I think I am a changed man now, to be honest. I don't get into it too much, but I do enjoy jokes and everything. I do it, but earlier I used to do it 24x7, but now it is just two-three hours of it. So I am just focusing more on batting and my wicket-keeping, which is going to help the team and which is going to help me. Everything is secondary," he added.

While Pakistan’s spin attack is expected to find assistance in Colombo, their batting could ultimately determine the outcome.

The manner in which they negotiate Jasprit Bumrah’s opening spell will be closely watched, given his record of dismantling Pakistan’s top order in previous meetings.

Farhan, however, has shown resilience against Bumrah. In three outings against India in last year’s Asia Cup, he registered scores of 40, 58 and 57.

Pakistan’s only victory over India in T20 World Cups came in Dubai in 2021, and they will once again look to their opener to anchor the challenge on a neutral turf.

“In international cricket you can’t attack from both ends all the time. But I feel, it is very important to attack their main bowler whosoever it is. If you do that, you will put him under pressure and also the opposition. If I do that it will help other batsmen as well,” Farhan told Pakistan Cricket.

“In T20s, there is very little to plan. You have to identify your strengths and make the most out of it. In cricket, you will obviously hit the bad deliveries, but our intention in the Powerplay is to maximise the field restrictions. You have to keep looking for opportunities…,” he added.

(With inputs from ANI)