Mohammad Kaif: “Their weakness lies in their spin bowling department. Shadab Khan is not getting the ball on the line, and Mohammad Nawaz’s ball doesn’t turn much, so their spin bowling is weak”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former India batsman Mohammad Kaif has singled out Pakistan spinners Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz for criticism, saying they have not been bowling well lately.
He noted that their failure to take wickets, along with their inability to turn the ball and pitch it on good lines, has left the men in green with a big weakness.
With the 2024 T20 World Cup fast approaching, Kaif admitted that Pakistan need to do something to bolster their spin attack as it could prove to be their downfall throughout the tournament.
“Their weakness lies in their spin bowling department. Shadab Khan is not getting the ball on the line, and Mohammad Nawaz’s ball doesn’t turn much, so their spin bowling is weak,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Nawaz has been out of the Pakistan team for their last couple of series, while Shadab was picked and has shown some promise ahead of the T20 World Cup.
In the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, the 25-year-old took three wickets at an average of 18 and an economy rate of 6.75.
He then featured in the three-match T20I series against Ireland, going wicketless in the one game he played.
Pakistan are now playing a four-match T20I series against England, which is level at 0-0 after the first game was abandoned due to persistent rain.
Following this, the men in green will be in action in the T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and United States of America from June 1 to 29.
Pakistan’s first T20 World Cup game will be against the United States of America in Dallas on June 6.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan