Pakistan seamer Arshad Iqbal: “The NCA (National Cricket Academy) declared me fit, but when I played, I didn’t feel completely fit and ended up getting two injuries. Later, I completed my rehab in the UK, and now I’m fully fit”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan fast bowler Arshad Iqbal has announced that he is “fully fit” now after suffering two injuries that put his career on hold.
Gary Kirsten: “When we look at our key resources, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have carried the bulk of the workload for Pakistan across all formats”
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Pakistan white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten has admitted that he is worried about the workload of fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
Pakistan speedster Mohammad Irfan: “They (coaching staff) were totally clueless about how to train a player with a big height like me. I was subjected to [the] same training [regimen] as being done by a 5 [foot] or a 6 [foot] guy”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Irfan believes the coaching staff “were totally clueless” about how to train him during his playing career.
Rashid Latif: “Shaheen (Afridi), Naseem (Shah), and Khurram (Shahzad) started off with pace of 145 [kph]. They all have come down to 130 [kph]”
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Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif admitted it is concerning to see the pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Khurram Shahzad bowling much slower.
Naseem Shah: “If a newcomer performs in one game, the main bowlers are afraid of their place in the XI and wonder if they will be retained for the next game. That fear does not allow players to rest because sometimes when you rest, your career can end up resting in peace”
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Pakistan pace maestro Naseem Shah has admitted that players refuse to be rested as they are afraid their spot in the national team could be in danger.
Shan Masood: “Unfortunately, his career has been a stop-start due to injuries but his Test numbers are still impressive”
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Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood said he has been very impressed with Hasan Ali, even though the fast bowler has had a stop-start career due to injuries.
Mohammad Abbas: “As long as pacers don’t play the longer formats, they will continue to face such issues”
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Mohammad Abbas is concerned that Pakistan’s pace bowlers will continue to have fitness issues if they don’t play longer format matches regularly.
Shahid Afridi: “Everyone can’t be Shoaib Akhtar”
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Shahid Afridi said legendary Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is one of a kind as not everyone can be the same as him.
Shahid Afridi: “Shoaib Akhtar took so many injections that he can’t walk now”
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Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan captain, said pace maestro Shoaib Akhtar took so many injections during his playing days that he “can’t walk now”.
Pakistan pace ace Shoaib Akhtar: “I used to [fall] asleep in an ice bath. There were many times that teammates would wake me up and say, ‘It’s four in the morning, get out and get in the bed’”
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Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said he used to fall asleep in ice baths and was in terrible pain during his playing days.
