Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar said that Babar Azam used his spinners much in the washed-out encounter against India in the group stages of the Asia Cup 2023. However, Pakistan’s pace attack had dismantled the Indian top order with the new ball and India were struggling at 66-4 before Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya took on the spinners to reach a respectable total of 266. The spin trio of Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, and Salman Ali Agha failed to make an impact and gave away 131 runs in 21 overs without taking a wicket as well.
Akhtar stated to a select group of journalists in a press conference organized by Star Sports: “I don’t think Babar should have given that many overs to spinners. He could have kept the pace battery intact from one end and a spinner from the other. That is where I disagree with Babar, he used spin too much and gave up on the attack. He is a far more better captain than he was two years ago. Babar’s mindset Haris Rauf has to be aggressive he should keep thinking about taking wickets and bowl out the opposition, and not let the bowlers bowl the entire 50 overs.”
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However, Pakistan have a golden opportunity to win the double of the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup in the upcoming months as well. Notably, Pakistan has a strong pace attack with the trio of Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and . Shoaib Akhtar also praised the pace trio – especially Shaheen and Haris for their wicket-taking abilities. He also added that Naseem Shah should bowl more ‘wicket-taking’ deliveries.
“These youngsters are very, very talented. It gives me so much happiness to think that Pakistan is being able to produce such fast bowlers over and over again. I would say Shaheen Shah Afridi is bowling is at the top of his career right now, and Haris Rauf has the same mindset, that he just has to keep picking wickets,” the veteran expressed. “I sent a message to Naseem Shah, and to other players as well, to bowl more wicket-taking deliveries rather than being a stock bowler. So, I am sure that the message has been conveyed. I think this trio, is one of the best on the world. They have proved time and time again that they can get people out simple as that.”
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“I think we are a spinner short. Shadab is very good, leg spin is a difficult art. I think one spin-bowling all-rounder is missing from the team. Pakistan will land in India as the favorites, I will be very honest with you. Beating India in India is going to be the most impossible thing, but beating Pakistan in India, in subcontinent conditions is also close to impossible, because both teams have a good pace battery and one team has a good spin attack. There has been an elevation to Pakistan’s batting unit, now it looks like a settled squad,” Shoaib Akhtar concluded.
