Mohammad Abbas: “Naseem has gotten injured, Khurram has also gotten injured, and Shaheen is dealing with some issues as well. They need to work a bit on their fitness”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Abbas has advised the pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Khurram Shahzad to work on their fitness as they have become injury-prone.
Afridi has mainly suffered from knee issues, while Naseem has had a series of injuries. As for Shahzad, he had been out of action with a side strain.
Given how important the trio are, Abbas urged them to improve their fitness and conditioning so that their bodies don’t break down when they bowl more overs.
“As for the other bowlers, Naseem has gotten injured, Khurram has also gotten injured, and Shaheen is dealing with some issues as well. They need to work a bit on their fitness, and I’m doing the same. We also need to work a little on biomechanics at the National Cricket Academy,” he told Cricket Pakistan.
In the two-Test series against Bangladesh, Afridi and Naseem only featured in the first Test and took two wickets and three wickets respectively.
As for Shahzad, he played both Tests and finished with nine wickets at an average of 24.44.
Afridi then captained the Lions in the Champions One-Day Cup, which was a domestic 50-over competition that took place in Faisalabad, and claimed nine wickets in four games at an average of 29.33.
Naseem played for the Markhors and snapped up six wickets in four matches at an average of 17.16, while Shahzad did not feature in the tournament.
Following this, Afridi and Naseem played in the first Test against England in Multan, which Pakistan lost by an innings and 47 runs, and claimed one wicket and two wickets respectively.
Both players weren’t selected for the second and third Tests, which Pakistan won to clinch a 2-1 series win – their first on home soil since 2021.
The men in green will now take on Australia in three ODIs and three T20Is from November 4 to 18.
Afterwards, they will play three ODIs and three T20Is against Zimbabwe from November 24 to December 5.
Pakistan Squad for Australia ODI Series: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan Squad for Australia T20I Series: Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan
Pakistan Squad for Zimbabwe ODI Series: Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir
Pakistan Squad for Zimbabwe T20I Series: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan
