Haris Rauf: “I am bowling with Shaheen in the nets these days and he is bowling really well there and is looking in… rhythm. So you guys [will] see an improved performance from him in the coming matches”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan seamer Haris Rauf firmly believes pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi will deliver better performances soon as he is “bowling really well”.
Afridi has struggled to take wickets consistently and many have pointed out a noticeable drop in his bowling speed.
Despite these issues, Rauf noted he has been bowling with the 24-year-old in the nets and confirmed that he has been doing well.
“Shaheen has taken a lot of wickets for us in the past and sometimes you don’t get into your rhythm. But it takes only a match or sometimes just an over to get back into your rhythm. I am bowling with Shaheen in the nets these days and he is bowling really well there and is looking in… rhythm. So you guys [will] see an improved performance from him in the coming matches,” he was quoted as saying by PakPassion on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In Pakistan’s three-Test series against England, Afridi was only selected for the first match and took one wicket at an average of 120.
He then featured in a three-match ODI series against Australia and performed brilliantly, claiming eight wickets at an average of 12.62.
However, his form dipped in the three T20Is as he only managed to pick up one wicket at an average of 107.
Pakistan are now currently taking on Zimbabwe in a limited overs series, but Afridi has been rested for it.
The men in green find themselves 1-0 down in the ODIs after losing the first game by 80 runs via the DLS method.
The second ODI will take place on November 26 in Bulawayo.
After the three-match ODI series finishes, the two teams will face each other in three T20Is, with the first match set to be played on December 1 in Bulawayo.
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
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