"He will not spare Shikhar Dhawan" - Shoaib Akhtar tips Umesh Yadav to shine in IPL 2022 encounter between KKR and PBKS

Former Pakistan speedster and cricket expert Shoaib Akhtar is a huge fan of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Umesh Yadav. Mostly used as a backup fast bowler in the Indian Test team, Yadav is enjoying a sensational start to the IPL 2022 season with KKR.

In two games, the 34-year-old has already picked up four wickets at a stunning average of just nine and a staggering economy rate of only 4.5. Shoaib Akhtar believes Yadav bowls a lot like former Pakistan pacer Mohammed Sami as the latter too used to be expensive at times but was a genuine wicket-taker.

While previewing the game between KKR and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on 'SK Match ki Baat', here's what Shoaib Akhtar had to say about Umesh Yadav:

"I have liked Umesh Yadav a lot for a long time. I used to look at him as a superstar in 2014. He reminds me of Mohammed Sami as he gets a little erratic at times but he has both seam and swing and is a wicket-taker."

Umesh Yadav has caused the openers a lot of issues this IPL and Shoaib Akhtar believes he will get the better of PBKS star Shikhar Dhawan with the new ball. The 46-year-old added:

"Now that he is bowling with the new ball, he will nip through the opposition and deceive them. With the new ball, he will not spare Shikhar Dhawan as he will attack his pads for LBW. But his ball also pitches and nips away, which is Dhawan's weakness as he gets stuck with half-hearted shots."

"Shreyas Iyer definitely has a spark in him"- Shoaib Akhtar

Shoaib Akhtar has been impressed with Shreyas Iyer's captaincy in the IPL. The 27-year-old took the Delhi Capitals to the playoffs and has now been handed the reins at KKR.

KKR won their first game of the IPL 2022 season against the Chennai Super Kings and then lost to the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Even in their loss, Iyer's captaincy ensured that Bangalore were dragged till the very end to earn their victory.

Here's what Akhtar had to say about Iyer's captaincy:

"Shreyas Iyer definitely has a spark in him. The thing that I like about him right from the start is that he is focused and also courageous, which is very important. Whenever KKR select a captain, they think properly and try to tick all the boxes like they did with Gautam Gambhir."

KKR will be up against a power-packed PBKS side which is high on confidence. It will be interesting to see whether the KKR bowlers are able to stop arguably the most dangerous batting line-up in IPL 2022.