Aaqib Javed: “If you look at Wasim Junior, there are a lot of games where he hasn’t even completed his quota of 10 overs”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Lahore Qalandars head coach Aaqib Javed has pointed out that Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Wasim Jnr rarely completes his 10 overs in ODI cricket.
Wasim Jnr is one of the back-up bowlers the men in green utilise when Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah or Haris Rauf are rested or get injured.
The 22-year-old from North Wazirastan was a standout player for Pakistan in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, having made full use of the chances given to him.
In the four matches he played, he picked up 10 wickets at an average of 21.50.
Despite this, Aaqib questioned whether Wasim Jnr is a full-time fast bowler as he often doesn’t get the opportunity to complete his quota of overs.
“If you look at Wasim Junior, there are a lot of games where he hasn’t even completed his quota of 10 overs,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan began their World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before losing four straight to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Finding themselves in a dire situation, the men in green fought back to take down Bangladesh and New Zealand to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive.
However, they couldn’t advance to the final four and ended up losing to England by 93 runs as well.
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