Shoaib Malik: “When facing quality spinners, our players freeze and no strike rotation, no boundary options. And these are Pakistan’s representatives? It’s time to open our eyes”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik has bemoaned the fact that Pakistan’s batsmen “freeze” when facing “quality spinners.”
Malik expressed disappointment with the recent decline in batting, an issue that has been frequently highlighted.
This problem was especially prevalent during the recently-concluded two-Test series against South Africa as Pakistan’s batters crumbled when facing the Proteas’ spinners.
Malik emphasised that Pakistan’s batsmen must improve their strike rotation and boundary-hitting against spinners, stressing that this problem cannot be allowed to continue.
“When facing quality spinners, our players freeze and no strike rotation, no boundary options. And these are Pakistan’s representatives? It’s time to open our eyes; our cricket is sliding towards the same decline as hockey,” the 43-year-old was quoted as saying by PakPassion on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa ended as a 1-1 draw.
The two sides will now play three T20Is between October 28 and November 1.
Afterwards, Pakistan and South Africa will face each other in three ODIs between November 4 and 8.
Once the South Africa series concludes, Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series from November 11 to 15, and then join Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in a T20I tri-series from November 17 to 29.
Pakistan squad for South Africa T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
Pakistan squad for South Africa ODI Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka ODI Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
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