Mohammad Asif: “If you cannot swing the ball back in, it can become difficult to sustain a long career. Shaheen once possessed this ability, but he seems to have lost it over time”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan pace bowler Mohammad Asif believes left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi might not have a long career if he fails to regain the in-swinger he lost over time.
Asif noted that Afridi was extremely deadly when he had the ability to swing the ball back in to batsmen.
However, he feels the 25-year-old has lost that skill and is also not “bowling from the same release point he used when he first joined the team”.
These issues, according to Asif, can be responsible for bowlers losing the ability to take lots of wickets.
“Shaheen is not bowling from the same release point he used when he first joined the team. Small mistakes can hinder a bowler’s path to becoming a leading wicket-taker,” he was quoted as saying by A Sports.
“If you cannot swing the ball back in, it can become difficult to sustain a long career. Shaheen once possessed this ability, but he seems to have lost it over time. Shaheen should focus on his basics, and coaches should guide him in this process.”
Afridi recently featured in the T20I tri-series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Afghanistan, where he took four wickets in four matches at an average of 19.50 and an economy rate of 5.57.
He then proceeded to play in the 2025 Asia Cup and finished as Pakistan’s highest wicket-taker with 10 wickets in seven games at an average of 16.40 and an economy rate of 6.60.
The men in green reached the final of the Asia Cup before losing to India by five wickets.
Pakistan’s next assignment will be a home series against South Africa from October 12 to November 8.
The series will consist of two Tests, three T20Is, and three ODIs.
Pakistan squad for South Africa Test series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi