Ramiz Raja: “When [the] ball doesn’t swing and he bowls full, then Shaheen gets hit for runs. He needs to develop length deliveries and change of pace in his [armoury], especially when [the] pitch is not helping him”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja said pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi “gets hit for runs” when the “ball doesn’t swing”.
He noted that the 24-year-old needs to be more versatile and add different types of deliveries to his arsenal so that he can be more effective when the conditions aren’t in his favour.
Specifically, Ramiz wants Afridi to “develop length deliveries” and be able to adjust his pace when the pitch “is not helping him”.
“When [the] ball doesn’t swing and he bowls full, then Shaheen gets hit for runs. He needs to develop length deliveries and change of pace in his [armoury], especially when [the] pitch is not helping him,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
In Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, Afridi took eight wickets in four games at an average of 10 and an economy rate of 7.38.
Following this, he claimed seven wickets at an average of 12.71 and an economy rate of 7.41 in the three-match T20I series against Ireland.
Afridi then featured in Pakistan’s four-match T20I series against England and picked up three wickets in two games at an average of 18.66 and an economy rate of eight.
Pakistan are now in action in the 2024 T20 World Cup and Afridi has taken two wickets in three games at an average of 41.50 and an economy rate of 6.91.
The men in green lost their first two matches against the United States of America and India before rebounding to take down Canada by seven wickets.
Pakistan’s next fixture will see them play Ireland on June 16 in Lauderhill.
Pakistan Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan (wk), Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed
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