Pakistan’s ODI captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, has responded to worries about the national team’s fast bowlers experiencing a decline in pace. He attributed this trend to the intense cricket calendar and the physical strain caused by continuous competition.
Speaking before Pakistan’s upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, the left-arm pacer emphasized the importance of proper recovery and managing workload to maintain peak performance. He likened fast bowlers to machines that require regular maintenance to sustain their efficiency and intensity.
“Fast bowlers have played a substantial amount of cricket. When players are rested and fresh, they naturally generate more pace and energy,” Shaheen explained, while reaffirming the team’s commitment to enhancing their performance.
When asked about his own bowling speed, Shaheen lightheartedly joked about aiming to bowl at 200 kilometres per hour, eliciting laughter.
Attention has shifted to the Australia series following criticism of Pakistan’s pace attack after their recent 2-0 Test series loss in Bangladesh. During that series, the bowlers struggled to consistently challenge batsmen with high speeds. This defeat marked Pakistan’s second consecutive Test whitewash against Bangladesh.
Despite the scrutiny, Shaheen expressed confidence in the squad’s preparations for the upcoming series. He highlighted a training camp held in Lahore, which included nearly 30 players and was overseen by head coach Mike Hesson and national selectors. The camp was instrumental in helping the team regain their rhythm in the 50-over format.
Shaheen noted that the limited ODI cricket played in recent months made this camp particularly crucial, and the players were optimistic about delivering strong performances in the series.
Additionally, Shaheen welcomed the return of Babar Azam to the ODI squad after the former captain missed the Bangladesh series earlier this year. He described Babar as the backbone of Pakistan’s middle order and praised his recent form. Shaheen expressed hope that Babar’s impressive performances in the Pakistan Super League and Test cricket would continue into the upcoming series.
“He remains a key player for Pakistan, and we expect him to keep producing match-winning performances,” Shaheen concluded.
