Waugh, Smith slam Abdullah Shafique for dropping Australia opener again

Australian batsman David Warner received a second chance early in his innings against Pakistan when Abdullah Shafique dropped a seemingly straightforward slips catch off a Shaheen Afridi delivery.

Despite being on just two runs, Warner's defensive shot found the edge, but Shafique failed to cleanly track and catch the ball, a lapse that could prove costly for the visitors.

Commentators, including Mark Waugh and Ian Smith, criticized Shafique's fielding, noting that it wasn't the first time he had made a crucial fielding error in the series

“It was as easy a slips catch you’ll see,” Mark Waugh said.

 “He lost track of the ball... you have to catch what is a regulation edge to slips,” Ian Smith said in commentary. “It looks like a guy who’s fielding in the slips for the first time.”

David Warner dropped by Abdullah Shafique 😲#AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/MJbWdYQaZ6

— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) December 25, 2023

During the first Test in Perth, Shafique dropped an easy chance from Usman Khawaja, prompting strong criticism from Waugh for what he described as a "regulation" catch.

 “That was regulation, on any level of cricket, park cricket, under-10s,” Waugh said. “It looked like the first catch he’s ever tried to take.”