Aaqib Javed: “I rate him higher than Naseem in white-ball cricket”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Aaqib Javed, the Lahore Qalandars head coach, feels Zaman Khan is a better death bowler than Naseem Shah in limited overs cricket.
His comments are bound to stir up plenty of discussion, especially considering the way Naseem has performed lately.
Zaman is considered to be one of the rising stars in Pakistan cricket, while Naseem has already cemented his spot in all three formats.
Despite this, Aaqib believes that when it comes to the final overs in white-ball cricket, Zaman has the edge over Naseem.
“I rate him higher than Naseem in white-ball cricket,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Zaman has represented Pakistan in six T20Is to date and taken four wickets at an average of 32.50 and an economy rate of 6.66.
Aside from this, the 22-year-old has featured in multiple T20 leagues, including the Vitality Blast in England and the Global T20 Canada.
As for Naseem, he picked up nine wickets in Pakistan’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka at an average of 23.
He then proceeded to take two wickets in two ODIs against Afghanistan at an average of 28.50.
Most recently, he was in action in the Asia Cup and snapped up seven wickets in four matches at an average of 20.
However, the 20-year-old suffered a shoulder injury in Pakistan’s loss to India during the tournament and was subsequently ruled out of the ongoing 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
There is a possibility that he could also miss Pakistan’s tour of Australia at the end of the year and the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) as well.
Pakistan started their World Cup campaign with an 81-run win over the Netherlands and will now face Sri Lanka on October 10 in Hyderabad.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali
[TS_Poll id=”87″]
Aaqib Javed comments are absurd and nothing else.
Zaman Khan should shed his wait and work on his line and length
People who ruin their career due to greed or indisciplin blame others for their own inflicted problems. Aqib was a great bowler but does not know how to talk at national level about his specialisty which is cricket. He promotes his coached team qalandars. He does not appreciate his team is performing b coz of his teams sponser spending lavishly and giving him cream is Pakistan cricket. I have not read a single world about any player outside of qalandars fold. Majority of critics favor players on language and area base. I wonder why they do not think that team has 11 players on field about 4, 5 on bench. There are commentators who were good enough for a match or two but they talk and criticise champion battered bowlers and keepers just judging every thing from their glasses not the facts.