LAHORE: Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has defended the national team’s fast bowlers amid concerns over declining bowling speeds, saying a demanding international schedule and limited recovery time have affected the pace attack’s performance.
Speaking ahead of Pakistan’s three-match ODI series against Australia, Shaheen said fast bowlers require adequate rest and workload management to consistently perform at their highest level. He noted that continuous cricket places significant physical demands on pace bowlers, making recovery an essential part of maintaining speed and effectiveness.
“Fast bowlers have played a significant amount of cricket. When players are well-rested and fresh, they can naturally generate more pace and energy,” he said.
The issue gained attention following Pakistan’s recent 2-0 Test series defeat to Bangladesh, where the team’s fast bowlers faced criticism for a lack of pace and impact. The result marked Pakistan’s second consecutive Test series whitewash against Bangladesh.
Pakistan prepare for Australia challenge
Despite recent setbacks, Shaheen expressed confidence in the team’s preparations for the upcoming ODI series against Australia.
He said a training camp in Lahore, attended by around 30 players under head coach Mike Hesson and national selectors, helped the squad refocus on the 50-over format after a period with limited ODI cricket.
According to Shaheen, the camp provided valuable preparation time and has boosted confidence within the squad ahead of the series.
Babar Azam’s return boosts squad
Shaheen also welcomed the return of Babar Azam to Pakistan’s ODI squad after the former captain missed the Bangladesh series earlier this year.
He described Babar as a crucial part of Pakistan’s batting lineup and said the team expects the star batter to continue his strong form in international cricket following notable performances in domestic and franchise competitions.
“Babar remains a key player for Pakistan and we expect him to continue producing match-winning performances,” Shaheen said.
Pakistan will begin the three-match ODI series against Australia as they look to improve their limited-overs form and build momentum for upcoming international assignments.
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