Legendary Pakistan bowler Waqar Younis has raised concerns regarding theperformance of pace ace Shaheen Shah Afridi in the first two matches of theongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.
In these initial matches, Shaheen Afridi has struggled to make an impact,managing just two wickets with an average of 51.50.
A particular instance that highlighted his challenging day was duringPakistan’s recent thrilling chase against Sri Lanka, where theysuccessfully pursued a record chase of 344 runs. In this game, thePakistani pace ace conceded 66 runs in nine overs while securing only asingle wicket.
Waqar Younis stressed the critical importance of the Pakistan teamaddressing the issues affecting Shaheen’s performance. He emphasized thatPakistan’s success in the event largely hinges on the Landi Kotal-borncricketer’s ability to consistently claim early wickets.
Furthermore, Waqar speculated that Shaheen might be dealing with an injuryconcern, which could explain his subpar performance in the first twomatches of the CWC 2023 for Pakistan.
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With the highly-anticipated match against India scheduled for October 14,the former captain urged that Pakistan will need Shaheen at his best,especially considering his strong track record against India in significantmatches.
Waqar Younis explained, “Pakistan’s success has historically been linked toShaheen’s ability to pick up early wickets, a feat he has accomplished manytimes over the years. He possesses the capacity and capability, but at themoment, he seems to be trying too hard. His bowling is inconsistent, withdeliveries veering off target. It’s possible there’s an issue with hisbowling action, or he might be carrying an injury. Hopefully, he and thecoaching staff will work to address these concerns and get him back ontrack.”