Dejected after getting thrashed by Team India in Ahmedabad, Pakistan dealt another big blow as several members of the team were hit by a viral infection on their arrival in Bengaluru. However, the management had a sigh of relief when the players attended the training session on Wednesday evening, including left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi.
On Wednesday, Afridi took a good look at the Chinnaswamy track before starting the day’s proceedings. He then shifted himself to the centre nets and started bowling with short run-ups as bowling coach Morne Morkel watched him from up close.
IND vs BAN ICC World Cup 2023 Live
The star pacer has not been at his best of form in the ongoing ODI World Cup. Afridi has taken four wickets from three matches and his economy rate of 6.31 is the second worst among Pakistan bowlers behind leg-spinner Shadab Khan, 6.55.
A fearsome presence with the new ball, Afridi is known for inflicting some serious damage in the Powerplay to rob opposition teams of early momentum. However, the tour of India has been completely different. Along with his reduced efficiency, the Pakistan management will be even more concerned with the sharp dip in Afridi’s pace.
The left-arm quick Afridi has seldom crossed the 140-mark in this World Cup, as batsmen tackled him with consummate ease on the slower Indian pitches. However, the team will hope that Afridi will slip into his best on Friday against Australia, and that will be imperative for them after a passing by India.
“His problem seems more in the mind than with his skills. The ability will not go away after one match or two. Perhaps, he is over-trying things, maybe the absence of Naseem (Shah) has hit him a bit, with whom he has a good new ball partnership.
“He should just relax and not think about his role and external things like that. Focus just on bowling, and I think he will be alright,” Waqas Ahmed, bowling coach of Afridi’s PSL team Lahore Qalandars, was quoted as saying by PTI.
ICC World Cup: Schedule | Results | Points Table | Most Runs | Most Wickets
Shadab Khan to be replaced?
Apart from Afridi, Pakistan will also be concerned with the form of Shadab Khan who has pocketed just two wickets from three matches while leaking runs aplenty. He has been a big reason for Pakistan’s failure to exercise control over rivals in the middle overs.
In that context, they might just think of giving a chance to Usama Mir, who recovered completely from the fever. He has played eight ODIs and has taken 11 wickets so far.
(With PTI Inputs)
Comments
0 comment