Pakistan’s assistant coach, Azhar Mahmood, has acknowledged that star pacer Shaheen Afridi is not at his best in the ongoing Test match against Bangladesh.
During the post-day three press conference, responding to a question from ProSports cricket correspondent Behram Qazi, Azhar candidly discussed Shaheen’s form and the challenges he’s currently facing.
Azhar Mahmood admitted that Shaheen, widely regarded as Pakistan’s best fast bowler, has been “off the mark” throughout the match. He pointed out that Shaheen’s usual rhythm and threatening presence on the field seem to be missing, which has been a cause for concern for the team management.
According to Azhar, there appears to be an issue with Shaheen’s wrist position, which has impacted his ability to bowl with the menace that the cricketing world has come to expect from him.
Despite the dip in form, Azhar expressed confidence that Shaheen would soon return to his best. He emphasized that the team has ample time to work on the young pacer’s bowling mechanics and rectify the issues before they become long-term concerns.
“Shaheen will be back to his best soon as we have time to work on his bowling,” Azhar assured, reflecting the team’s belief in the bowler’s ability to bounce back.
Shaheen Afridi’s performances have been under scrutiny, especially in the context of Pakistan’s bowling attack, which relies heavily on his ability to take early wickets and apply pressure on the opposition.
In this ongoing Test match, however, Shaheen has struggled to make an impact, leading to questions about his current form. Shaheen has been wicketless so far in the ongoing Test against Bangladesh, conceding 55 runs off his 18 overs.
As the Test match progresses, all eyes will be on Shaheen Afridi, with hopes that he can rediscover his rhythm and return to being the strike bowler who has consistently delivered for Pakistan in all formats of the game.
As for the Test match, Bangladesh trail by 132 runs with 5 wickets in hand at the end of Day 3. Shadman Islam top scored with 93 while Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim and Litton Das all scoring half-centuries. Rahim and Das will resume their innings on the 4th day.
