Wasim Akram: “Even if he is not taking wickets, he needs to just be normal and don’t try to do anything extraordinary”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan pace icon Wasim Akram has advised newly-appointed T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi to “be normal” and not to try “anything extraordinary” if he is unable to take wickets.
Afridi was handed the leadership role after Babar Azam resigned as captain in all three formats following the team’s elimination from the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup.
In addition to leading the side, the 23-year-old is also Pakistan’s frontline bowler, which means there will be even more pressure on him now to provide breakthroughs.
However, Wasim urged Afridi not to succumb to the pressure and focus on doing all the basics right if he can’t get wickets in a match.
“Even if he is not taking wickets, he needs to just be normal and don’t try to do anything extraordinary,” the Sultan of Swing was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
In the World Cup, Afridi took 18 wickets in nine matches, which included a five-for against Australia, at an average of 26.72.
The men in green won their first two games against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before falling to India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Even though they bounced back with wins over Bangladesh and New Zealand, they were unable to progress to the semi-finals.
Pakistan ended their World Cup campaign on a sour note as England crushed them by 93 runs in their final group stage match.
Afridi will now represent Pakistan in their three-match Test series against Australia, which will start on December 14 in Perth.
Pakistan Squad for Australia Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi
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