Haris Rauf’s Availability: A Crucial Talking Point
Pakistan have retained Haris Rauf in their Champions Trophy 2025 squad despite his recent side strain, sustained during the tri-nation series against New Zealand in Lahore. His fitness remains a major discussion point in the lead-up to the tournament.
Rauf’s ability to take wickets, especially in the middle overs, has been a vital factor in Pakistan’s recent ODI success. His performances on Australian pitches were particularly impressive, where he utilized the extra bounce and hard lengths to trouble opposition batters.
However, while Rauf’s fitness is being closely monitored, Pakistan’s Fast Bowling Concerns are the form of their two other key pacers—Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah. In the recent tri-nation series, Afridi managed to secure six wickets over three matches, averaging 33.16, whereas Naseem’s performance lagged with three wickets at an average of 60.33.
Pakistan’s Fast Bowling Concerns: Shaheen Afridi’s ineffectiveness in the early overs
Shaheen Afridi, once Pakistan’s go-to wicket-taker in the first powerplay, has struggled for form. His early breakthroughs, which often came within his first two overs, have dried up. Since his return from a knee injury, a noticeable drop in pace and swing has diminished his threat with the new ball.
In the tri-nation series, both New Zealand and South African batters attacked him in the later stages of the innings, exposing his inability to control the flow of runs. His slower deliveries, particularly his off-cutter in the death overs, have often been picked off by batters. Additionally, his shift to bowling around the wicket after his first spell appears a more defensive rather than an attacking adjustment.
A positive takeaway from the recent matches has been his ability to move the ball across right-handers with the new ball—highlighted by his dismissal of Will Young in the tri-nation opener.
Naseem Shah: More Disciplined, But Less Effective?
Naseem Shah’s form has also been inconsistent. While he has showcased his ability to contain runs, he has struggled to be a match-winning strike bowler. In the tri-nation series, he failed to pick up more than two wickets in any game.
Despite often being labeled as unlucky, Naseem’s outswinger frequently starts too wide, allowing batters to leave deliveries comfortably. However, his slower ball bouncer, which first gained prominence in the ODI series against the Netherlands (2022), has remained an effective weapon, especially on two-paced surfaces. He picked up 10 wickets in 3 innings with an impressive average of 11.10 in that series.
Pakistan’s Bowling Arsenal: The Need for Variety
In modern-day cricket, fast bowlers require a variety of deliveries to succeed against aggressive batters. One positive for Pakistan is that both Shaheen and Naseem have tried to expand their bowling arsenals.
Shaheen has added the wide yorker, an effective delivery to keep the ball away from the batters’ hitting zone and restrict runs in the death overs. Whereas, Naseem’s slower bouncer continues to be a key weapon, particularly on slow pitches which makes it difficult for the batters to get their timing right especially when they are looking to score boundaries.
With the Champions Trophy starting in a couple of days, Pakistan’s fast bowling concerns need to be addressed in order to adapt quickly to the batting-friendly conditions. Shaheen to rediscover his early swing, Naseem to become more consistent and Haris Rauf to remain fit if they are to defend their title.
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