‘You were trying to crush our toes’: Rohit Sharma all-praise for young Pakistani bowler in nets

Young Pakistani pacer Awais Ahmad from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has earned praise from Indian cricketing stars for his bowling during a practice session in Dubai.

As per the details, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli were all praise for Ahmad who made the ball swing in both directions.

“I tried to bowl yorkers like Shaheen Shah Afridi, targeting his [Rohit’s] feet. Rohit Bhai appreciated me after the session, which boosted my confidence,” the young pacer revealed in an interview with Sports Today.

“Many people dream of meeting them, but I was lucky to bowl to them. I wasn't nervous while bowling, but when I got the message that I would be bowling to the Indian team, I was both happy and nervous.”

He also recalled a moment when Virat and Rohit discussed his bowling. “When I was bowling, Virat Bhai was on strike. Later, Rohit asked him which way I was swinging the ball [and] I heard him say that it was swinging both ways. After that, he batted perfectly and didn't make any mistakes.”

A viral video also showed Rohit praising Ahmad’s skills. “You were trying to crush our toes,” he told Ahmad.

It merits a mention that Ahmad was a part of Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) 2021 edition but didn’t get a chance to play.

India will play their first Champions Trophy match against Bangladesh on February 23 in Dubai before facing Pakistan in a much-anticipated clash. Ahmad felt privileged to bowl for Rohit and Virat.