Shahid Afridi: “We just can’t live in fear that our batsmen will get out early. We have to get our batsmen to play on seaming pitches. On such pitches (like Rawalpindi), even Naseem Shah can score 70-80 runs”
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Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has called for the pitches in the country to become more pace-friendly as they have been too flat in the last few series.
The quality of the pitches in Pakistan have been questioned when the national team played Test series against England and New Zealand.
With the surfaces criticised for being too flat and offering no assistance to the bowlers, Afridi admitted that Pakistan need to make radical changes in order to make Test matches more entertaining and generate results.
He pointed out that currently, the pitches are so batting-friendly that even Pakistan pace bowler Naseem Shah could score 70 to 80 runs.
“We just can’t live in fear that our batsmen will get out early. We have to get our batsmen to play on seaming pitches. On such pitches (like Rawalpindi), even Naseem Shah can score 70-80 runs,” Afridi, who recently served as Pakistan’s interim chief selector, was quoted as saying by Cricwick.
Pakistan were whitewashed 3-0 in their Test series against England, while both Test matches they played against New Zealand ended as a draw.
Most recently, the men in green played a three-match ODI series against the Black Caps, which they lost 2-1.
Naseem and many of the other Pakistan players will now feature in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), with the 19-year-old speedster playing for the Quetta Gladiators.
PSL 8 is set to be held from February 13 to March 19 in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.
Quetta Gladiators Squad for PSL 8: Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Wanindu Hasaranga, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Odean Smith, Ahsan Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Zahid, Naveen-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Umaid Asif, Will Smeed, Aimal Khan, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Martin Guptill and Omair Bin Yousuf