WATCH: Shubman Gill thumps Shaheen Shah Afridi for a spectacular straight drive like Sachin Tendulkar

Team India got off to a great start in their pursuit of 242 runs to win versus Pakistan in the Champions Trophy game on Sunday. Shubman Gill, who had scored an unbeaten ton against Bangladesh, seemed to be in his element yet again. The 25-year-old tore Shaheen Shah Afridi’s bowling to pieces in the first few overs of the match. 

The best shot of the tournament was reserved for the left-arm seamer as Gill played a splendid straight drive. Fans were reminded of former India legend Sachin Tendulkar, who was the master of playing the shot. The incident happened on the fourth ball of the seventh over when Afridi bowled a fuller ball to India’s ODI vice-captain. 

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Gill slammed his foot down and followed through with a picture-perfect straight drive that sped along the ground for four. The ferocity behind the shot was such that none of the Pakistani fielders bothered chasing the ball. The crowd exploded as the ball hit the ropes to give India yet another boundary. 

Rohit Sharma departs early to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s yorker 

Having been set a target of 242 runs to win, team India saw just two runs come from the first over bowled by Afridi. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma then made room outside leg stump and hit Naseem Shah for a four over the slips. The bowler tried to follow the batter but Rohit was aware of this move and pulled the ball into the crowd for six. 

Shaheen Afridi then saw Gill hit him for two fours in the third over. The first boundary was lucky not to hit his stumps and sped to fine leg for a four. Indian batter then played a perfect cover drive as soon as the bowler erred for length. Rohit hit a boundary each off Naseem and Shaheen to reach 20 runs.

The Pakistani pacer then bowled a similar delivery that had dismissed Rohit in the 2021 T20 World Cup. The Indian skipper was beaten for pace as the stumps were rattled to give Pakistan their first wicket. Earlier in the day, Pakistan was all out for 241 with Saud Shakeel top-scoring with 62 and Kuldeep Yadav taking 3/40 for India.