In the end, one of the most eagerly awaited matches of the tournament proved a damp squib as India utterly dominated every aspect of a stop-start, rain-interrupted 124-run victory.
The outspoken Afridi, who played 398 one-day internationals and retired from worldwide duty a year ago, had a caustic take on the efforts of his former team-mates at Edgbaston on Sunday.
"Alright, let's get something straight first off. Wahab Riaz was fully fit". India-Pakistan cricket matches, which are few and far between these days and is cricket's foremost rivalry by a distance, are fast losing zing because Pakistan is just not up to it. As we Predicted Earlier the Team Who Plays at the Sunrise will Beat the Game at Birmingham Stadium. Edgbaston recorded an attendance of 24,156, which is the highest recorded at any India versus Pakistan match at any venue. It also meant he was unable to bat as Pakistan, chasing a revised target of 289 in 41 overs in a rain-affected match, slumped to 164 for nine after India had piled up 319 for three in 48 overs. He didn't execute that role, unfortunately. The run rate in the initial overs was a bit slow but as both the batsmen became set, they started showing their explosive side.
"Even though we lost the toss, guys were raring and ready to go, willing to take up the pressure".
On the decision to send Hardik Panya ahead of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kohli said it was based on the former's ability to strike it big from the first ball itself which dictated the move.
An impatient Yuvraj Singh struck eight fours and one six in a 32-ball 53 to hurry the innings along when needed, and was named player of the match for doing so.
"When he got out, I took over. My issue is them getting out there and really looking to take the game on and just believing in themselves and believing that they can take the game on", he added. Pakistan needs to do some soul-searching before its next game against the top-ranked ODI team - South Africa.
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"The way he (Yuvraj) was hitting the ball, I felt like a club batter in front of him", Kohli told reporters at the post-match press conference late Sunday night here at Edgbaston.
"Opening partnership is something which is very crucial in England in order to allow the kind of middle-order we have to come in and capitalise".
"We selected a team that we thought could go out there and rattle the cages of India".
Kohli credited Yuvraj for his knock as well. The 37-year-old, who announced his global retirement earlier this year, also said heaped praise on Virat Kohli's men, saying that Men in Blue lived up to their tag of tournament favourites.
"We've played the game. We don't run well enough between wickets", he said.
But then, as they say, you can't predict in cricket.
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