ISLAMABAD - Former Australian captain and two-time World Cup winner Ricky Ponting criticized Pakistan’s bowling attack and labeling it as ‘worse bowling attack on our shores in a long time.’
Pakistan’s bowling failed to make an impact for the second game in a row despite Mohammad Abbas replacing Imran Khan, and Mohammad Musa coming in place of Naseem Shah.
Ponting said that touring Australia is always a difficult task but Pakistan did not help its cause by having such an inexperienced bowling attack.
Pakistan had operated with 6 bowlers in the first innings of the 2nd Test match – Shaheen Afridi, Muhammad Musa, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Azhar Ali – who bowled a total of 127 overs in the Test but managed just 3 wickets – all going to Shaheen.
Talking to cricket.com.au, Ponting said:
They [Pakistan’s bowlers] have been poor … their bowling attack is terrible really for a Test attack. I’m not sure I have seen a worse bowling attack on our shores in a long time.
Ponting further criticized Pakistan’s selection committee for dropping Naseem Shah for Musa Khan, who remained unimpressive as he bowled 20 overs and conceded 114 runs without any success.
I still can’t understand why the 16-year-old hasn’t played this game, Naseem. And they go with another guy (Musa) who has played seven first-class games and just doesn’t look to be a Test match bowler.
He further added:
They haven’t got much cattle. And when you haven’t got much cattle against a batting line-up as hungry as ours, and in our conditions, and a team that is really trying to prove themselves back on the world stage, then I think Pakistan have just been caught in a perfect storm.