‘When was the last time Afridi delivered a match-winning performance?’: Rashid Latif slams Pakistan pace attack (original) (raw)

Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi bowls during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said that Pakistan should look beyond pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, urging the Pakistan cricket Board to overhaul the team’s pace attack. Lalif said that he does not feel that the two frontline pacers, who were in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy squad, were not contributing enough to the team.

“When was the last time Afridi delivered a match-winning performance?” Latif said. “Naseem has also not contributed significantly to Pakistan’s success,” the former wicketkeeper-batsman added in an interview with a channel as per PTI.

Lalif also brought up Pakistan’s recent defeat against New Zealand in the ongoing Tri-Series opener, saying that it was an example of how the pacers have not made an impact in recent times.

“I have concerns over the form of Shaheen, Naseem and others and I feel they have not performed as expected,” he said.

Latif also felt that players like Khushdil Shah and Salman Agha are frequently criticised, while senior players like Afridi, Babar Azam, and Muhammad Rizwan rarely face scrutiny for their performances.

“No one is talking about these players’ lacklustre performances,” Latif said.

Pakistan will next take on South Africa in the 3rd match of the Tri-Series to book a place in the final against New Zealand on February 14.

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Last month, Pakistan had unveiled the squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy. The team will be skippered by Mohammad Rizwan with Salman Ali Agha as the vice-captain. It also has three members from the 2017 Champions Trophy winning side in Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf and Fakhar Zaman.

Pakistan made four changes in the 15-player squad which had last played an ODI series in South Africa late last year with Abdullah Shafique, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub and Sufyan Moqim getting replaced by Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah and Saud Shakeel.