Usman Khawaja: “We know Starc can swing the new ball. Shaheen has a very good wrist. He definitely swings the ball. When it’s overcast in Australian conditions, if a fast bowler is swinging the ball, it makes our job as an opener a bit tough”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Australia opening batsman Usman Khawaja has confessed that it is tough to face Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as he “definitely swings the ball.”
Afridi is known for his ability to generate swing and uses it to cause a lot of trouble for the opposition batsmen, especially when bowling with the new ball.
Khawaja pointed out that this is where the 23-year-old and Mitchell Starc are very similar as the latter also utilises the swing he is able to generate to his advantage.
“We know Starc can swing the new ball. Shaheen has a very good wrist. He definitely swings the ball. When it’s overcast in Australian conditions, if a fast bowler is swinging the ball, it makes our job as an opener a bit tough,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Afridi is currently playing in the three-match Test series against Australia and has taken eight wickets at an average of 41.62.
With Pakistan 2-0 down, they will look to secure a consolation win in the third Test, which begins on January 3 in Sydney.
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, Mohammad Nawaz and Shaheen Shah Afridi
[TS_Poll id=”98″]