Shaheen Afridi’s performance in the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2023 has been disappointing. He also did not perform well in the Asia Cup last month. Ravi Shastri, a former Indian cricketer and head coach, criticized Afridi after another poor performance with the ball. Shastri mentioned that Afridi is a good bowler but there is nothing extraordinary about him that would warrant comparisons with the former greats like Wasim Akram. This comment from Shastri might serve as motivation for Shaheen to regain his form.
However, it is challenging for a fast bowler to find rhythm after losing pace. These days, Shaheen bowls at a speed of 135-140 kph, which is below his usual speed. He used to consistently touch the 140 kph mark. Unfortunately, that element is missing in his bowling, especially after his injury.
Shaheen injured his knee while fielding in Sri Lanka during a Test match in 2022. He was then rushed into the team for the T20 World Cup, which aggravated his injury further. After a period of rest, he returned to play in the Pakistan Super League but has been performing at an average level since then.
Shaheen’s key weapon was his swing bowling in the first four overs of his spell. Fans of both India and Pakistan still remember his first over in the 2021 T20 World Cup, where he dismissed both KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma. However, that same Shaheen seems to be missing in this World Cup.
If we analyze Shaheen’s powerplay stats before and after his injury layoff, we can see a significant difference. Before the layoff, in 31 innings, Shaheen took 30 wickets in the powerplay with an economy rate of 4.9 and an average of 23. His strike rate was 28.4. After the injury layoff, in 15 innings, Shaheen has only managed to take 8 wickets in the powerplay, with an economy rate of 5.3 and an average of 40.8. His strike rate has also increased to 45.8.
These statistics clearly indicate why Pakistan is struggling in ODIs. Pace bowling has always been the strength of the Pakistani team, but that is no longer the case. With Naseem Shah also unavailable due to a shoulder injury, Pakistan lacks a genuinely quick bowler who can make a difference with the new ball.
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