Wahab Riaz: “The team will need wickets from him between the 25th and 35th overs”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Wahab Riaz, the former fast bowler, has called on left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi to start taking more wickets between overs 25 to 35.
He noted that this middle period is important during ODIs as making regular breakthroughs will stop the opposition’s momentum.
Since Afridi is the pace spearhead and Pakistan’s go-to option when they are in need of a wicket, Wahab acknowledged that it is the 23-year-old’s job to do this.
“The team will need wickets from him between the 25th and 35th overs,” he told Cricket Pakistan.
Afridi recently claimed six wickets in Pakistan’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka at an average of 37.33.
He then proceeded to take six wickets in three ODIs against Afghanistan at an average of 16.33.
Most recently, he played in the Asia Cup and snapped up 10 wickets in five matches at an average of 23.50.
Currently, Afridi is in action in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup and has picked up four wickets in Pakistan’s first three games against the Netherlands, Sri Lanka and India.
Having won their first two matches before suffering a seven-wicket defeat in their most recent game against India, Pakistan were dealt yet another loss as Australia beat them by 62 runs.
However, Afridi bowled incredibly well in that match, finishing with figures of 5-54 off his 10 overs.
Pakistan will now face Afghanistan on October 23 in Chennai.
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
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