Mohammad Hafeez: “Abdullah Shafique used to do a really good job in the slips. Perhaps the Australian conditions did not suit him. I still believe that he is a good fielder”
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Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez has refused to criticise opening batsman Abdullah Shafique’s fielding, saying “he is a good fielder.”
Shafique dropped numerous catches during the recent three-match Test series against Australia, which led to him being lambasted by former players and the fans.
Knowing how difficult it is to field in the slips, Hafeez backed the 24-year-old from Sialkot to regain his confidence.
“Abdullah Shafique used to do a really good job in the slips. Perhaps the Australian conditions did not suit him. I still believe that he is a good fielder. However, based on my personal experience as a slip fielder during my playing days, when confidence wanes, it takes some time to regain it, and we are committed to giving him that time,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Shafique scored 110 runs in the three-Test series, which included a top score of 62, at an average of 18.33.
After losing 3-0 to Australia, Pakistan played a five-match T20I series against New Zealand and were comprehensively beaten 4-1.
Shafique will now play for the Lahore Qalandars in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL), which starts on February 17.
Lahore Qalandars Squad for PSL 9: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Haris Rauf, David Wiese, Sikandar Raza, Abdullah Shafique, Zaman Khan, Mirza Tahir Baig, Rashid Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Ahsan Bhatti, Dan Lawrence, Jahandad Khan, Syed Faridoun Mahmood, Shai Hope, Kamran Ghulam, Rassie van der Dussen
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