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Key Takeaways
- 1📊 Axar: 2/7 & 23 in first, 1/27 & 21 in second T20I
- 2🏆 Shahbaz last played 2023 Asian Games
- 3💡 India won third T20I without Axar, Bumrah
- 4🔮 Shahbaz eyes T20I revival in Lucknow decider
"Shahbaz last played for India at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou"
Axar Patel bows out of India's last two T20Is against South Africa due to illness, with all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed rushing in as replacement. Axar stays in Lucknow for medical checks after sitting out the third game.
Shahbaz Revives International Hopes
Axar's series mixed bag—23 off 21 and 2/7 in Cuttack, then 1/27 and 21 off 21 in the high chase—ends prematurely. India adapted sans him and Jasprit Bumrah (personal reasons), slotting Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana for a seven-wicket thriller. Shahbaz, last seen in 2023 Asian Games gold, brings ODI-T20 experience to bolster the spin attack.
As the series concludes, Shahbaz eyes a breakout, echoing India's depth in white-ball cricket. Men in Blue aim to seal the rubber strongly.
