Aaqib Javed: “A bowler conceding four sixes is not a big deal, but a fast bowler must keep improving. Shaheen Shah Afridi also needs to elevate his game”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan Director of High-Performance Aaqib Javed has admitted that left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi “needs to elevate his game”.
Afridi has been under intense scrutiny as of late as he has struggled to put up strong performances consistently in international cricket as of late.
He recently toured New Zealand with the men in green and in the five-match T20I series, he took two wickets in four games at an average of 66.50 and an economy rate of 10.23.
Having fallen well short of expectations in that series, Aaqib acknowledged that the 25-year-old has to work on his game.
“A bowler conceding four sixes is not a big deal, but a fast bowler must keep improving. Shaheen Shah Afridi also needs to elevate his game,” he was quoted as saying by A Sports.
Following the New Zealand tour, Afridi captained the Lahore Qalandars in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and played a key role in helping them win the title as he was the highest wicket-taker with 19 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 16.42 and an economy rate of 7.76.
Pakistan are currently facing Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series, but Afridi was not selected in the team despite his outstanding campaign in PSL 10.
The men in green hold a 1-0 lead in the series after winning the 1st T20I by 37 runs.
The 2nd T20I will be held on May 30 in Lahore.
Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper) and Saim Ayub
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