T20 WC: Afridi lauds Pakistan’s bowling line-up as strongest

NEW DELHI: Former cricketer Shahid Afridi has declared Pakistan‘s bowling line-up as the strongest in the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on June 1.
Afridi’s comments come as Pakistan head into the tournament as one of the favorites, following their runner-up finish in the previous edition.
In a video posted by the ICC, Afridi highlighted the exceptional skill and depth of Pakistan’s pace attack, which includes Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf.
“I think in any cricket team in the world, nobody has such a strong bowling line-up. All our four fast bowlers have a lot of skill, and even the bowlers sitting on the bench like Abbas Afridi have a lot of skill with a good slower ball,” Afridi said.
He expressed confidence that these bowlers, when pitted against world-class batters, would perform exceptionally well.
However, former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja has expressed concerns about the team’s bowling setup. Raja pointed out that while Shaheen Shah Afridi has been a standout performer, he needs to develop a more varied bowling strategy, particularly when the ball is not swinging.
“Shaheen Shah Afridi’s bowling. Look, if the ball isn’t swinging and he bowls at full length, then he gets bashed. He needs to develop length ball and change of pace, especially when he is not getting much from the pitch,” Ramiz commented on his YouTube channel following Pakistan’s recent 23-run defeat to England in the second T20I.
Pakistan will now play the third T20I against England in Cardiff on Tuesday, a crucial match for the team to address these concerns and fine-tune their strategies ahead of the World Cup.
(With inputs from ANI)