Mohammad Abbas: “Red-ball cricket makes a fast bowler more fitter”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas believes fast bowlers who regularly play red-ball cricket are “more fitter” than those who prioritise white-ball cricket.
Speedsters who feature in first-class cricket generally have to bowl long spells and are thus required to be very fit.
In comparison, bowlers who primarily feature in limited overs cricket will have to bowl between four and ten overs, depending on the format.
“Red-ball cricket makes a fast bowler more fitter,” Abbas was quoted as saying by journalist Arfa Feroz Zake on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Abbas last represented Pakistan in August 2021 and has since focused on a career in England, where he plays for Hampshire in the County Championship.
During the recent season, he picked up 36 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 24.25.
In that time, he went past 700 first-class wickets and now has 710 wickets in 180 games at an average of 20.90.
Abbas missed the Champions One-Day Cup, which was a 50-over tournament held in Faisalabad, but did go on to feature in the President’s Cup Grade-I (1-Day) competition.
The Sialkot native represented the State Bank of Pakistan and claimed six wickets in four games 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.
He also wasn’t picked for the three-match Test series against England, which Pakistan won 2-1 to secure their first Test series win on home soil since 2021.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a limited overs tour Australia, which will consist of three ODIs and three T20Is that will be held from November 4 to 18.
Following this, they will tour Zimbabwe for three ODIs and three T20Is from November 24 to December 5.
Pakistan Squad for Australia ODI Series: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan Squad for Australia T20I Series: Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for Zimbabwe ODI Series: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir
Pakistan Squad for Zimbabwe T20I Series: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan