Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar expressed his admiration for thecurrent Pakistani pace attack, drawing parallels to the legendary duo ofWasim Akram and Waqar Younis. This comparison highlights the immense talentand potential of the national team’s fast-bowling contingent.
The present Pakistani fast-bowling lineup, consisting of Shaheen ShahAfridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, is considered one of the world’s best.Together, they have already claimed 23 wickets in the initial three matchesof the Asia Cup, a tournament held jointly by Pakistan and Sri Lanka,setting the stage for the upcoming one-day international World Cup inIndia.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, the left-arm pacer, left a lasting impact in a recentgroup match against India, causing havoc in their top order. However, thematch was ultimately abandoned due to rain after just one innings. Hisimpressive performance showcases his potential to be a significant threatin the key Super Four clash against arch-rivals India.
Shoaib Akhtar, in an online conversation organized by Star Sports, praisedthe young fast bowlers, emphasizing their exceptional talent andconfidence. He drew a nostalgic connection to the era of Wasim and Waqar,who collectively took over 900 ODI wickets with their fearsome reverseswing deliveries.
In the current Pakistani lineup, Shaheen Shah Afridi leads the pace attackalongside Naseem Shah, but it is Haris Rauf, the first-change bowler, whocurrently tops the Asia Cup bowling chart with nine wickets. Rauf’soutstanding performance played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s recent victoryover Bangladesh in the Super Fours.
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Shoaib Akhtar provided advice for Naseem Shah, encouraging him to focus ondelivering wicket-taking deliveries rather than being a stock bowler.Naseem’s ability to seam the ball distinguishes him, and he has thepotential to penetrate opposition batting lineups.
Pakistan has a storied history of producing exceptional fast bowlers,including Fazal Mahmood, Sarfraz Nawaz, and World Cup-winning captain ImranKhan. Akhtar remains optimistic about Pakistan’s chances in both the AsiaCup and the World Cup, predicting that Babar Azam’s team will emergevictorious, including defeating India in both tournaments. This reflectshis confidence in the current Pakistani cricket squad.
