Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis has expressed concerns about the fitness of star pacer Shaheen Afridi following his sluggish performance in the World Cup in India. In the team’s first two matches, Shaheen has only managed to take two wickets while conceding 103 runs. Waqar emphasized the importance of Shaheen’s ability to consistently take early wickets for Pakistan’s success and suggested that the management should identify the cause of his struggles.
“Pakistan’s success largely depends on Shaheen’s ability to take early wickets, which he has demonstrated many times over the years. However, at the moment, he seems to be trying too hard and losing control. He is bowling on the pads, outside the off stump, and has attempted various strategies, but nothing seems to be working for him. I believe he should take a step back and consult with Morne Morkel,” Waqar said on Star Sports.
As Pakistan is preparing to face India on October 14th (Saturday), Waqar believes that Shaheen’s services will be crucial in dealing with the Indian batting line-up, especially Rohit Sharma.
“They need to figure out what is going wrong. There might be an issue with his bowling action or if he’s carrying any injuries. If he can address this problem, his left arm ball coming in early on can be a valuable asset against India. He has performed well against them in the past,” Waqar added.
Pakistan has won both of their previous matches and successfully chased down a massive total against Sri Lanka in their last game.