Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Abbas: “I have maintained my discipline and have never exceeded a pace of 140 kph. I’ve always been a seam bowler, and my bowling pace hasn’t slowed down”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas insisted his bowling speed has not dropped, even though he was told this was the case.
He noted that he has never bowled over 140 kph and instead chooses to maintain a disciplined line and length, which has brought him so much success.
Abbas has done exceptionally well in Test cricket, taking 90 wickets in 25 matches at an average of 23.02.
Despite having done so well, the 34-year-old was dropped from the team and hasn’t played international cricket since August 2021.
Since then, he has regularly featured for Hampshire in the County Championship and become one of their main pace bowlers.
In the recent county season, the Sialkot native claimed 36 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 24.25.
During that time, he surpassed 700 first-class wickets and currently sits on 710 wickets in 180 games at a brilliant average of 20.90.
“I was told my speed had decreased,” Abbas was quoted as saying by Samaa TV. “I responded that I had moved from Sialkot to Lahore specifically to train at the National Cricket Academy. I have maintained my discipline and have never exceeded a pace of 140 kph. I’ve always been a seam bowler, and my bowling pace hasn’t slowed down.”
The veteran speedster didn’t play in the Champions One-Day Cup, which was a domestic 50-over competition that took place in Faisalabad.
However, he is currently in action in the President’s Cup Grade-I (1-Day) tournament and has snapped up six wickets in four games for the State Bank of Pakistan at an average of 37.50.
Abbas was not part of Pakistan’s squad for the two-Test series against Bangladesh, which they lost 2-0.
The men in green are now taking on England in a three-match Test series and trail 1-0 after losing the first Test in Multan by an innings and 47 runs.
The second Test got underway on October 15 in Multan.
Pakistan Squad for 2nd and 3rd Tests against England: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Hurraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Zahid Mahmood.