Waqar Younis has suggested Shaheen Shah Afridi take time out from playing cricket in order to rediscover the pace needed to make him a threat in all conditions.
The 23-year-old struggled for penetration in the first Test in Perth, scoring 2-172 in the match as he continued his lean spell in the longest format. The left-handed player’s average score since the beginning of 2022 is 38.24, which is a significant decrease from 2021, when he had 17.06.
“I don’t really understand what’s going on with him,” Waqar told ESPNcricinfo xss=removed>. “If he’s sick or has a problem, I think he needs to step away from the game and fix it. If he keeps doing this, he can be a medium pacer. He’s hitting 145 mph every day. , he was bowling at 150 km and was very fast and swinging the ball.What I see now is just a little bit of swinging, but his pace has slowed down a lot.
“His top speed is 130-132 km/h, but that doesn’t get you wickets.” If you can’t get wickets here, you can’t get wickets anywhere. You also have to learn to bowl in good areas, but you also have to understand that pace is very important and very important. ”
Mr. Waqar expressed concern about Pakistan’s pace beyond Shaheen. Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad made respectable Test debuts by taking 12 wickets, but neither is a rushing quick.
If Shaheen Afridi carries on the way he has been currently, he will become a ‘medium pacer’ – Waqar Younis #AUSvPAK
Pakistan fans, is there any reason to be worried? pic.twitter.com/qJgT85gZnl
– ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) 24. 2023 April 12
“Another thing that worries me is when we travel to Australia, what always excites us is the fast bowling, but this time we don’t see that,” Waqar said. Ta. “I see medium-speed or slow-medium riders, but no real pace. All-rounders. People used to see a Pakistani bowler come out very fast and he bowled 150 clicks. , but I don’t see it there.
“That’s my concern and that’s my problem, too, because I haven’t seen it at the national level either.” There are a few injured, which is understandable, but There have always been many fast bowlers in the past. You could always use it, but unfortunately no such thing exists and that’s what I’m really worried about. ”
Australia won the first Test by 360 runs, extending Pakistan’s losing streak in Australia to 17 Tests. The second Test begins at the MCG on Boxing Day.
