Babar Azam: “Shaheen [Afridi] and Naseem bowling together gave us a different edge”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam said the pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah give the national team “a different edge.”
The pair have formed a formidable bowling partnership and have become Pakistan’s go-to fast bowlers in all three formats.
Afridi has a habit of taking early wickets with the new ball, while Naseem is growing in confidence and has started generating incredible swing, which has made him even more dangerous.
“Shaheen [Afridi] and Naseem bowling together gave us a different edge,” Azam was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam led the men in green in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup before stepping down as captain and scored 320 runs in nine matches, which included four fifties, at an average of 40.
Afridi, who was appointed as Pakistan’s new T20I captain, excelled with the ball, taking 18 wickets in nine games at an average of 26.72.
Naseem, meanwhile, was ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a shoulder injury during the Asia Cup.
Pakistan started the World Cup with wins over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before suffering defeats at the hands of India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Despite fighting back to beat Bangladesh and New Zealand, they came up short in their bid to reach the semi-finals.
Pakistan’s campaign came to an end in disappointing fashion as they lost to England by 93 runs.
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