Shahid Afridi critiques Shaheen Afridi's performance against India

Former Pakistan captain, Shahid Afridi, offered an intricate examination of Pakistan's choice to opt for bowling after winning the toss and expressed his dissatisfaction with fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi's performance in their recent match against India.

In an exclusive interview with a local media news channel, Afridi shed light on the strategic nuances of the game and the challenges faced by bowlers in the modern era of cricket.

The former cricketer began by addressing the widely debated topic of Pakistan's decision to bowl first after winning the toss. 

He acknowledged that many people on social media had questioned this choice. However, he offered his perspective on the matter, emphasizing the importance of executing the bowling strategy effectively.

"Many people on social media questioned why Pakistan chose to bowl first after winning the toss. In my opinion, if Pakistan had bowl properly, like Naseem Shah started off. But Shaheen's line and length were not right in the match, where he wanted to bowl, it didn't work out for him. In the initial overs, if Shaheen didn't get wickets, it becomes frustrating for him because his reputation is such that he takes wickets early on," he said.

The former all-rounder then delved into the performance of Shaheen Shah Afridi, a promising young fast bowler who has gained recognition for his ability to take early wickets. 

He observed that Shaheen's line and length were not ideal during the match in question, and this had a significant impact on the team's performance. 

"Shaheen needs to be consistent on his line and length. This is not any excuse that if you couldn't deliver for one or two overs and then you get all angry at yourself. You have to find soft corners in cricket. He needs to refocus, the way he started his second spell it was good enough. So he should focus on that particular line and length. It is not obligatory always that you will get a wicket. If you'll bowl in the right area, you will a wicket and chances of taking a wicket with a new ball are always higher," he concluded.

It is worth noting that Pakistan lost the second match of the Super 4 round of the Asia Cup 2023 against India by a margin of 228 runs. India being asked to bat first, scored a formidable total of 356 runs after losing just two wickets in the first innings. In reply, the Men in Green were bowled out for just 128 runs in the final innings.