It's clear that the Pakistani think tank has targeted Abhishek as the danger man and wants to get him back into the dugout as early as possible on Sunday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Abhishek smashed a 39-ball 74 against Pakistan in the Super 4s clash and a fiery 31 in their first encounter in the league stage. Abhishek has been especially brutal against Pakistan\u2019s spearhead, Shaheen Shah Afridi. He hit 22 runs off Shaheen with two sixes and as many boundaries. In the second match, Sharma took nine off six balls with a six.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Waqar Younis, remembered for his toe-crusher yorkers, told Telecom Asia Sport that Abhishek is a real talent and advised the Pakistan bowlers to exploit the pressure on the batter to get him early.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAbhishek is a real talent and can take the game away in the first few overs, but everyone has a weakness, and although he is in a good knick, there always comes a bad day, maybe it\u2019s on Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThere will be pressure on Abhishek in the final, so if Pakistani bowlers bowl with clarity and plan, they can get him out early,\u201d Waqar told www.telecomasia.net on Saturday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
According to a report, Waqar\u2019s partner, Wasim Akram, said Shaheen Afridi needs to bowl length deliveries to Abhishek to trouble him. \u201cIn both the matches, Shaheen bowled full length, so he needed to change the length and try to move the ball from the back of the length,\u201d the report quoted Akram as advising the bowlers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Another former pacer, Mohammad Amir, said he would target Abhishek Sharma\u2019s stumps, the report said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think a good bowler should not allow him to open his arms by bowling within the stumps,\u201d Amir told www.telecomasia.net. \u201cBowl a swinging delivery four to five metres from the stumps, which may force an edge. Swing within the stumps and I have seen Mitchell Starc getting him out in the IPL with an out-swinger from the middle and off.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Amir said that slower deliveries can also be effective against the Indian opener. \u201cAbhishek plays with hard hands, and that\u2019s why if you bowl a perfect slower one, his shot may get in the air in the circle.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Amir\u2019s former pace partner, Mohammad Asif, believes Abhishek can be dismissed early on. \u201cYou have to read every batter,\u201d Asif told Telecom Asia Sport from the United States. \u201cBowl him three deliveries at the same spot and I can bet he will play the first two and then get out on the third. But if you bowl different deliveries and try too hard, you cannot succeed.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Amir also questioned Shaheen's selection of the first delivery to Abhishek in the previous India-Pakistan encounter. \u201cHow on earth can you bowl him a bouncer first ball, which Shaheen did in the second match?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Amir\u2019s former pace partner, Mohammad Asif, believes Abhishek can be dismissed early on. \u201cYou have to read every batter,\u201d Asif told Telecom Asia Sport from the United States. \u201cBowl him three deliveries at the same spot and I can bet he will play the first two and then get out on the third. But if you bowl different deliveries and try too hard, you cannot succeed.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But whether they would be able to execute their plans and how the Indian batter tackles them in the final.<\/p>\r\n\r\n