(Image Source: Twitter)
[Saba Sports News] The 2023 ODI World Cup warm-up matches are in full swing, with New Zealand and Pakistan facing off in the third game in Hyderabad on Friday, September 29. In an amusing turn of events during the match, the spotlight shone on one of the on-field umpires, Akshay Totre, as fans couldn’t help but notice his striking resemblance to Indian cricket star Shreyas Iyer.Social media erupted with humorous memes and comments about this uncanny resemblance, creating quite a buzz.
For those unfamiliar, Akshay Totre is a 36-year-old umpire hailing from Indore, Madhya Pradesh. He boasts an impressive record, having officiated in 22 First-Class matches, 30 List A games, and 41 T20s. Additionally, he presided over six matches in the 2023 Indian Premier League.
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer made a comeback to international cricket during the Asia Cup 2023 after recovering from a back injury that required surgery. Unfortunately, he could only participate in a couple of games before a back spasm sidelined him for the Super Four matches and the final against Sri Lanka. Heading into the ODI World Cup, the Mumbai batsman needed to regain his form, and he did just that during the three-match series against Australia.
Shreyas finished as the third-highest run-scorer in the series, accumulating 156 runs in three games with an impressive average of 52 and a strike rate of 110.64. Notably, he achieved his third ODI century and fourth overall in the second game.
In the ongoing warm-up game in Hyderabad against New Zealand, Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first. Due to security concerns, the match is being played behind closed doors, as the local police had earlier stated their inability to provide adequate security. Interestingly, New Zealand’s opening bowling duo comprised Glenn Phillips and Matt Henry.
The Pakistani opening pair of Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq started cautiously but were eventually dismissed for 14 and 1, respectively. From a score of 46/2, captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan formed a partnership that exceeded 100 runs, with both experienced players achieving their half-centuries during this impressive partnership.