Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Pakistan batter Sahibzada Farhan says his most memorable sixes came against India, especially during the Asia Cup. “The ones I hit against India in the Asia Cup. People started to recognise my six-hitting ability after that,” Farhan told ESPNCricinfo. In that final, Farhan stood out by smashing three sixes off Jasprit Bumrah, a rare feat in T20Is. Despite his efforts, India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, won the match, thanks to a successful chase finished by Tilak Varma.
Farhan later explained that his approach wasn’t just about targeting Bumrah alone but facing a strong bowling attack that included Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. “Speaking about Bumrah, I don’t think there was only Bumrah in that (Indian) team. All of them were some of the best bowlers, like Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. So it’s not that there was only Bumrah. But I started with Bumrah. You get confidence as a player when you hit a good player for a six,” he said.He admitted Bumrah challenged him early on. “If you look at him, he gave me a tough time in the beginning. He was bowling slower ones, yorkers and bouncers. He swings the ball, bowls outswing and inswing. It’s natural that it’s very difficult to play him. So you have to find your way. And when you cross that phase, the rest of the bowlers seem easy to you, I think,” he added.Farhan has been in top form since 2025, scoring heavily in T20 cricket and breaking records, including a standout T20 World Cup performance. However, he also drew criticism for a controversial celebration against India, mimicking an AK-47 shot, which upset fans and led to a reprimand.
