Tag: Shaheen Afridi

DUBAI: Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi has replaced South African spinner Keshav Maharaj to become the number one bowler in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings on Wednesday.

Pakistan, under newly-appointed captain Mohammad Rizwan, defeated Australia in the third ODI by eight wickets in Perth to win their first series Down Under since 2002.

The visitors lost the first match of the three-match series by two wickets, however, they staged an impressive comeback to win the series 2-1.

Consequently, Pakistani players made significant gains in the latest ICC ODI Rankings, with Shaheen Afridi reclaiming the top spot among bowlers.

Afridi showed his bowling prowess against Australia as he took eight wickets across three matches at an astonishing average of 12.62, which resulted in his three-spot jump in the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings.

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The left-arm pacer has previously held the number one spot briefly during the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

Following his rise, Pakistan now holds the top spot in both batting and bowling rankings in ODI cricket as Babar Azam solidified his lead among batters.

Azam scored 80 runs across three innings against Australia but he got out only once and struck the winning boundary in both of Pakistan’s victories.

Meanwhile, Haris Rauf, who was awarded Player of the Series, jumped 14 places to reach his career-best 13th spot in the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings with 618 rating points.

The right-arm pacer claimed 10 wickets during the three-match series at an impressive average of 12.00.

Naseem Shah, who took five wickets during the series, improved 14 places to equal the 55th spot.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan sets sights on T20I sweep after historic victory in Australia ODIs

DUBAI: Pakistan pace bowler Shaheen Afridi witnessed a substantial rise in the latest ICC ODI Bowling and All-Rounder Rankings released on Wednesday.

Shaheen’s rise in the rankings came in the wake of his performance in the first ODI against Australia, played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday.

Although Pakistan lost the match by two wickets, the bowlers were praised for putting up a fight to defend the paltry 203-run total.

Shaheen contributed with a cameo of 24 runs from 19 balls, which featured three boundaries and one six. He later claimed two key wickets of Matthew Short and Josh Inglis.

Consequently, Shaheen Afridi rose three places up to claim the 13th spot in the ICC ODI All-Rounder Rankings with 188 rating points. Notably, he is the highest-ranked Pakistani player in the ODI all-rounder rankings.

He also jumped three places in the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings and is now sitting in joint-fourth position with Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa.

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On the other hand, Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf dropped four places to 27th in the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings.

He took three wickets in the first ODI against Australia; however, he was quite expensive, giving away 67 runs in nine overs.

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc earned the Player of the Match award for his brilliant bowling figures of 3-33, consequently, he jumped four places to 14th with 607 rating points.

Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood, who was rested in the first ODI against Pakistan, dropped two places to seventh in the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings.

West Indian left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie claimed 4-41 in his team’s eight-wicket victory over England in the first ODI of the three-match series.

As a result, he made a massive jump of 14 places to reach 15th place in the bowling rankings with 603 rating points.

READ: Pakistan receive a major boost ahead of second ODI against Australia

Pakistan squad members, including star players Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, departed for Australia earlier today to partake in the six-match white-ball series, starting on 4 November.

A total of seven players have departed today, while the rest of the squad will join them later.

The Australia tour will run from 4-18 November, followed by a white-ball series in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, which will be played from 24 November to 5 December.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the squads for the tours to Australia and Zimbabwe yesterday.

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The cricket board also appointed wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan as the captain for Pakistan’s white-ball team ahead of the upcoming tours of Australia and Zimbabwe.

Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who were given a break from the last two Tests against England, returned for the Australia matches but will be rested for the Zimbabwe tour.

Similarly, Mohammad Rizwan will be available for the Australia matches and Zimbabwe ODIs, but will be rested from the Zimbabwe T20Is.

All-rounder Salman Ali Agha, who has been appointed as the vice-captain, will lead the team in Rizwan’s absence during the T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Pakistan Squad for Australia Tour

ODI SQUAD: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (vc) and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

T20I SQUAD: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan

Pakistan Squad for Zimbabwe Tour

ODI SQUAD: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir

T20I SQUAD: Salman Ali Agha (c), Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (wk), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan

READ: Key players rested as Australia unveil squad for Pakistan T20Is

Pakistan’s star cricketers Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi extended their congratulations to the national team following their dominant victory over England in the recently concluded second Test on Friday.

The Shan Masood-led team defeated England by 152 runs to level the three-match series and claim their first Test victory at home since February 2021.

Pakistan made four changes in their Playing XI for the second Test after the crushing loss in the first match, including dropping star players like Babar and Shaheen.

Consequently, Kamran Ghulam made his long-awaited debut, while spin bowlers Sajid Khan, Noman Ali and Zahid Mahmood made their return to the Test side.

Following Pakistan’s victory, Shaheen Afridi took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account and congratulated the team, while praising the Kamran, Sajid and Noman for their impressive performances.

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“Fantastic win at home! Congratulations to Pakistan. Noman Ali and Sajid Khan were exceptional, along with a dream debut for Kamran Ghulam and a massive contribution from Salman Ali Agha. Keep it going, Inshallah,” he posted.

Meanwhile, Babar Azam posted a picture of the team along with a heartfelt message for his teammates.

“Fantastic win. Proud of the effort and spirit,” Babar posted.

It’s worth noting that Noman and Sajid took eleven and nine wickets respectively, becoming only the second Pakistani pair to share 20 wickets in a Test match.

Meanwhile, Kamran Ghulam played a gutsy knock of 118 runs in Pakistan’s first innings.

READ: Ben Stokes apologises for his ‘body language’ in defeat against Pakistan

Pakistan pace bowler Hasan Ali has backed teammates Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah, who were dropped from the national Test squad for the remaining two matches against England.

Babar, Shaheen and Naseem along with wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed were released from Pakistan’s squad earlier today for the second and third Test matches.

“Taking into consideration the current form and fitness of key players and looking ahead to Pakistan’s future assignments in the 2024-25 international cricket season, the selectors have decided to give rest to Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Abrar Ahmed (who is recovering from dengue fever) was unavailable for selection,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.

“The four players have been replaced by Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Kamran Ghulam (all uncapped), fast bowler Mohammad Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan.

“Noman Ali and Zahid Mehmood, who were initially part of the original first Test squad but were subsequently released, have also been included in the 16-player squad.”

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Hasan Ali, who is currently out of action due to an elbow injury, took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account and extended his support to the players who were dropped from Pakistan’s squad.

“Tough times only make comebacks sweeter,” Hasan posted. “My brothers, you’re champions! You’ve done wonders for Pakistan and will continue do so. Keep believing and you’ll be back stronger than ever, Inshallah.”

The second and third Test between Pakistan and England are scheduled to be played in Multan and Rawalpindi on 15 and 24 October, respectively.

Pakistan Squad For Remaining Matches Against England

Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.

READ: England captain Ben Stokes in line for comeback in second Pakistan Test

MULTAN: Star batter Babar Azam and pace bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have been dropped from Pakistan’s squad for the remaining matches of the three-match Test series against England.

The newly appointed selection committee have announced the squad for the second and third Test matches, which will be played in Multan and Rawalpindi on 15 and 24 October, respectively.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revealed the squad through a press release on their official website.

“Taking into consideration the current form and fitness of key players and looking ahead to Pakistan’s future assignments in the 2024-25 international cricket season, the selectors have decided to give rest to Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Abrar Ahmed (who is recovering from dengue fever) was unavailable for selection,” the statement said.

“The four players have been replaced by Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Kamran Ghulam (all uncapped), fast bowler Mohammad Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan.

“Noman Ali and Zahid Mehmood, who were initially part of the original first Test squad but were subsequently released, have also been included in the 16-player squad.”

Aqib Javed, the newly appointed member of the men’s national selection committee, has said that the decision to rest key players has been taken considering the interest of the Pakistan cricket team.

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“Selecting the squad for the upcoming Tests against England has been a challenging task for the selectors. We’ve had to carefully consider current player form, the urgency to bounce back in the series and Pakistan’s demanding 2024-25 international schedule,” Javed said.

“With these factors in mind and in the best interest of Pakistan cricket as well as the players, we’ve made the decision to rest Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

“We are confident that this break from international cricket will help these players regain their fitness, confidence and composure, ensuring they return in top shape for future challenges.

“They remain some of our finest talents with much more to contribute to Pakistan cricket. We are fully committed to supporting them during this period so they can come back even stronger.

“At the same time, we are offering opportunities to uncapped players like Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, and Kamran Ghulam, along with Mohammad Ali, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan and Zahid Mehmood.

“They now have the chance to showcase their skills against a formidable England side. We believe they will rise to the occasion and make the most of this opportunity in the remaining two Tests.”

Pakistan Squad For Remaining Matches Against England

Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.

READ: India smash highest total by a full-member team in T20Is

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has labelled Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi as major threats for the home side in the upcoming white-ball series.

Pakistan is set to tour Australia in November for a six-match white-ball series, which will embark with the ODI series on 4 November.

The iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the series opener, while the subsequent matches are scheduled on November 8 and 10 in Adelaide and Perth, respectively.

The ODI series will be followed by a three-match T20I series, scheduled to commence on November 14.

Glenn Maxwell, while talking to the media in Melbourne, highlighted the unpredictability of Pakistan and labelled the Green Shirts as a dangerous opposition.

“The Pakistan team can be very dangerous at different times. They have been challenging opponents for us in the past,” stated Maxwell.

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“When you’re playing against a team like Pakistan, they can be unpredictable, which makes it so hard to play against them, you never know what to expect from them.”

Maxwell then heaped praise on Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam and pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi. He emphasized that the Australian team should effectively deal with the challenge posed by Babar and Shaheen in the upcoming series.

“They’ve got some world-class players, we’ve got to keep an eye on Babar Azam, he is a superstar player, and Shaheen Afridi, he is a magician with the new ball,” the all-rounder said.

“We are not taking this series lightly. We are preparing for the series; we need to deliver our best to get the upper hand against Pakistan.”

Schedule of Pakistan’s white-ball tour to Australia

Pakistan vs Australia ODI series schedule:

November 4: First ODI at MCG, Melbourne
November 8: Second ODI at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
November 10: Third ODI at Perth Stadium, Perth

Pakistan vs Australia T20I series schedule:

November 14: First T20I at The Gabba, Brisbane
November 16: Second T20I at SCG, Sydney
November 18: Third T20I at Bellerive Oval, Hobart

READ: England captain wary of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah threat in first Pakistan Test

Pakistan ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has opened up on the workload management of fast bowlers in modern-day cricket.

Shaheen in an interview with a local news channel, coined the example of legendary pacers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis when probed about his workload.

“First of all, if you are saying that I have bowled the most in the world (among bowlers in Test cricket)… but if you look in the past, all our legends bowlers Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, at that time there was no workload issue,” Afridi said.

The left-arm pacer down hyped the idea of workload management before emphasizing the need for mental fitness and also the ability to react accordingly in different situations.

“I don’t know why we have made it a big topic over the last one year that there is workload, players are getting injured. We are considering it more important. It depends individually on the players, how they play in particular formats. You need to be mentally fit and strong on how to react in different circumstances,” Shaheen Afridi added.

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He backed his stance by stating that a pacer needs to develop new techniques to release the pressure whenever he feels that his body is reacting differently.

“It’s a small period where you need support from the management and close ones, who need to give you positive messages. I don’t know about the workload, it isn’t that much but I feel that everyone should enjoy regardless of the format,” Shaheen said.

It is worth mentioning here that the concern regarding Shaheen Afridi’s workload intensified when Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten mentioned the number of overs the left-arm pacer bowled.

Kirsten, while commentating on Monday’s Champions One-Day Cup, shared an alarming insight regarding ace pacer Afridi, who according to him, bowled three times more than any other pacer in the world.

“Fast bowlers are always under immense pressure to deliver and win games. When we look at our key resources, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have carried the bulk of the workload for Pakistan across all formats,” said Gary Kirsten.

“Shaheen has bowled three times more overs than any other fast bowler in the world over the last 18 months. That’s alarming—you’re bound to wear him down eventually,” he added.

READ: England suffer major setback ahead of Pakistan Tests

Test pacer Mohammad Abbas has offered a piece of advice for Pakistan’s all-format fast bowling duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.

During an interview with a local sports website, Abbas emphasised the importance of maintaining fitness for pace bowlers to keep performing at the highest level.

“Naseem Shah has gotten injured, Khurram [Shahzad] has also gotten injured, and Shaheen Afridi is dealing with some issues as well,” Abbas said.

“They need to work a bit on their fitness, and I’m doing the same. We also need to work a little on biomechanics at the National Cricket Academy,” he added.

Abbas further highlighted the tough nature of Test cricket, where a bowler has to bowl the whole day, unlike white-ball cricket. He suggested Pakistan’s pace bowler play more first-class cricket, which will help improve their overall performance across formats.

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“In Test cricket, you have to endure tough times — fielding all day, bowling all day — it’s not easy at all,” Abbas stressed.

“But, as I mentioned earlier, we need to respect four-day cricket and provide proper support for it. As professional fast bowlers, we’ll need to bowl long spells,” he concluded.

Notably, Mohammad Abbas recently achieved a major milestone in first-class cricket with his 700th wicket in the format.

The 34-year-old pacer, who is currently representing Hampshire, claimed the prestigious feat in the second innings of the County Championship match against Kent.

He trapped Kent’s Jack Leaning plumb in front of the wicket to complete 700 wickets in first-class cricket.

Abbas became the 14th player from Pakistan to reach this milestone.

READ: Babar Azam achieves major milestone with Champions Cup century

Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten on Monday, acknowledged that their pace duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah are under immense workload.

Kirsten, while commentating on Monday’s Champions One-Day Cup, shared an alarming insight regarding ace pacer Afridi, who according to him, bowled three times more than any other pacer in the world.

“Fast bowlers are always under immense pressure to deliver and win games. When we look at our key resources, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have carried the bulk of the workload for Pakistan across all formats,” said Gary Kirsten.

“Shaheen has bowled three times more overs than any other fast bowler in the world over the last 18 months. That’s alarming—you’re bound to wear him down eventually,” he added.

Notably, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah are one of the few players, who are regular parts of the Pakistan team across formats.

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Both pacers have sustained severe injuries in the past, resulting in them missing out on major tournaments like ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2022 and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Remember, Shaheen sustained a knee injury amid Pakistan’s first Test of the two-match series against Sri Lanka in 2022, which resulted in him missing the second match of the series and the first two ODIs against the Netherlands.

The left-arm pacer then ruled out of the Asia Cup as his injury worsened.

On the other hand, Naseem Shah sustained an injury to his right shoulder in the blockbuster Asia Cup 2023 clash between arch-rivals Pakistan and India.

The right-arm pacer walked off the field in the 46th over of India’s innings and was subsequently ruled out of the tournament remainder.

Naseem sustained a much worse injury to his right shoulder than was suspected by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the severity of the injury was such that the young pacer got ruled out of the World Cup.

READ: India thump Korea to reach Asian Hockey Champions Trophy final