Ramiz Raja claims he advised Babar Azam on how to get Rohit Sharma's wicket in T20 WC

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja has revealed how he planned Indian batter Rohit Sharma's dismissal with Babar Azam ahead of the T20 World Cup. Raja, who took over as PCB chairman earlier this year, said when the Pakistan captain Babar Azam came to visit him before leaving for the World Cup, they interacted about how to take Sharma's wicket in the highly-anticipated clash against India. 

Raja, while speaking in a podcast interview with the BBC, said he told Babar to get Shaheen Shah Afridi bowling at 100 mph with fielders at short-leg and on the leg side, 45 degrees behind square. Raja said he told Babar to stop Sharma from taking a single, adding "You will get him out". Shaheen Afridi got Sharma out in the very first over of the innings and then dismissed KL Rahul in the third over to put India under pressure straight away. 

"I can tell you how to get rid of Rohit Sharma right now and Babar was intrigued. I said get Shaheen Afridi bowling at 100mph, get a man at short-leg and a 45. Just bowl that inswinging yorker at 100mph and do not give him a single and keep him on strike. You will get him out," Ramiz was quoted as saying in his interview with the BBC. 

India lost its opening game of the T20 World Cup against Pakistan after Afridi delivered a magnificent spell in the powerplay to get rid of key Indian top-order batters. As a result, the Virat Kohli-led side failed to get a substantial total on the board and lost the match by a record 10-wicket margin. Pakistan openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan gave no chance to Indian bowlers as they chased down a target of 152 runs with 13 balls remaining.  

India's T20 World Cup campaign

India had entered the T20 World Cup as favourites to win the title. However, two consecutive losses at the hands of New Zealand and Pakistan immediately put the side in trouble with almost no chance of qualification. But India bounced back stronger to win their remaining games in the group stage. India needed New Zealand to lose a game in order to book a place in the semi-finals but the Blackcaps maintained their winning streak to beat the Men in Blue to the qualification race. 

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