Pakistan’s star fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has countered recent concerns raised by Gary Kirsten about the workload of the team’s pacers. Kirsten, the former South African cricketer, had expressed his views on the pressure faced by key bowlers like Afridi and Naseem Shah to consistently lead the team to victory. He argued that they were being overworked; however, Afridi dismissed these claims in an interview.
Shaheen Afridi stated that he doesn’t understand why this issue has become so big in the past one year as it is a matter which depends on the individual player and a bowler wouldn’t be able to perform if he becomes lazy. Shaheen Afridi emphasised the importance of mental strength for consistent performance. He pointed out that being ‘lazy’ or unmotivated hampers performance, not necessarily the workload.
Shaheen Afridi is of the opinion that a player needs to be mentally strong and the performance is more about mindset than overexertion. He also calls for management support when a player is not in the best physical shape, explaining that while the workload might not be extreme, players should enjoy playing cricket at every opportunity.
Afridi referenced Pakistan’s rich history of producing fast bowlers, noting that their legendary pacers like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis never had workload issues and the current generation could learn from their resilience.
The workload discussion began during Kirsten’s commentary stint at the Champions Cup match between the Panthers and Lions last week. Kirsten highlighted that Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have shouldered a large part of Pakistan’s bowling responsibilities across all the formats. He cited a stat, mentioning that Shaheen had bowled three times more overs than any other fast bowler globally in the last 18 months, which could lead to physical strain.
Shaheen Afridi will soon return to the field in Pakistan’s first Test match against England, starting on October 8 in Multan. After struggling to find his rhythm across formats recently, the fast bowler is determined to regain his form in the upcoming series.
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