Pakistan’s pacer & Melbourne Star’s bowler, Haris Rauf entered the pitch for batting without pads during the BBL 13 fixture against Sydney Thunder on Saturday, December 23. The incident happened when Stars’ ninth wicket fell on the last ball of the first innings. Melbourne was reduced to 172-9 when Mark Steketee was run out on the fifth ball of the 20th over.
Fans on social media were in awe after Rauf walked on the field without any protection. While many fans thought it was because of laziness others think that it was due to the ‘time-out’ dismissal that happened during World Cup 2023 which might have scared Rauf & forced him to walk out without any protection.
Watch a Glimpse of Haris Rauf BBL 13 video here:
Watch the complete video here: https://twitter.com/i/status/1738445971972096196
Coming to Pakistan Cricket, former pacer Waqar Younis expressed his concern over the reduced pace of Pakistani pacers during the first Test against Australia at Perth.
Is Pakistan’s Pace Attack losing its effectiveness?
Pakistan lost the first Test by 360 runs & is preparing to lead the fightback in the second Test beginning from Tuesday onwards. In the first Test, Pakistan’s pace attack comprising Shaheen Shah Afridi, Khurram Shehzad, Aamer Jamal, and Faheem Ashraf had some impressive moments that made Australian batters uneasy with their bowling & struggle to score runs. Despite that none of these bowlers could reach the 140 kmph speed which is a matter of concern for Pakistan.
This lack of pace grabbed Younis’s attention & disappointed him to the extent that he termed the bowling in the first Test as medium pace.
“I’ve got a concern on my mind, especially when it comes to our tours in Australia. What usually gets the adrenaline pumping is the thrill of fast bowling. This time, though, I’m not getting that same vibe,” he shared during ESPN’s Around The Wicket show.
“I’m observing more of the medium-pacers, slow-medium pacers, and all-rounders – the genuine pace seems to be missing. The days when people flocked to watch Pakistan’s speedsters charging in, hitting 150 clicks, are not quite there anymore,” he reflected.
“This is bothering me, and it’s a concern because I’m not seeing it even at the domestic level. I get it, there are a few players nursing injuries, but looking back, we always had a solid lineup of fast bowlers ready to step in. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case now, and it’s genuinely worrisome,” Waqar expressed his worry and thoughts on the matter.
Pacer Naseem Shah who missed the ICC World Cup is still out of action & hasn’t recovered fully. His absence is a huge loss for the team & they have suffered in his absence. Adding to Pakistan’s misery is that Rauf opted to represent the Stars in BBL instead of playing in the white-ball series due to workload. In this situation, a lot of responsibility rests on the shoulders of Shaheen if they want to challenge Aussies in their home territory.
What did Waqar say about Shaheen’s loss of pace
Waqar further expressed concerns over Shaheen’s loss of pace & said that if he has pace issues then he needs some time off & fix it instead of bowling at medium pace.
Waqar expressed uncertainty about the issues affecting the player, emphasizing that if there are fitness or other concerns, it’s crucial to take a break from the game and address them. The concern is that persisting in this manner might result in a transition to a medium-pacer. Recalling the player’s past performance, where he used to bowl at 145-150kph with an impressive swing, the observed drop in pace raises concerns about his wicket-taking capabilities.
Reflecting on the painful experience of watching the first Test match, Waqar lamented missed opportunities that could have shifted the game’s momentum. In his assessment, when Pakistan tours Australia, impeccable fielding is imperative. He highlighted that giving Australia’s batsmen any chances could prove costly, as observed in the Perth match where opportunities were seized and capitalized on.
Also read, Hardik Pandya likely to miss Afghanistan Series & IPL 2024
