Pakistan pace battery struggles explained by Azhar Ali

Former captain Azhar Ali has shared his views on the struggles of the Pakistan pace battery ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.

The pace trio of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah has long been criticised for failing to perform to their true potential in clutch games.

Several including former wicketkeeping batter Rashid Latif were among those who believed that the Pakistan pace battery has let the fans down in recent times.

Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has now shared his views on the downfall of the Pakistan bowling lineup.

During an appearance on a podcast, the former batter was asked about the reason behind the diminishing effectiveness of the Pakistan pace battery.

Responding to the question, Azhar Ali said that the Pakistan team management rushes bowlers back after an injury.

“Their rehabilitation is not done the way it should be. Bumrah came back after a year. He could have been back after six months but they gave him proper time. Even he realised that fitness is important,” he said.

According to the former Pakistan captain, the players also want to return to the field following an injury which affects their swing and speed.

When asked if bowlers try rushing back to not risk losing their place in the team, Azhar Ali responded by citing the example of the current Pakistan pace battery.

“All these three or four bowlers which you are talking about, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah; how will they lose their place? They are proper bowlers,” he said.

The former Pakistan captain was of the view that constant participation in global leagues also reduces the quality and mystery of bowlers.

“When you play against people in counties and leagues, they find out about your strengths and start countering you,” he said.

Azhari Ali also slammed the culture of overhyping bowlers, citing the example of Shaheen Afridi and Asif Ali.

“Remember the hashtag ‘can’t play them’! Everything went bad from there. I think managers should not create a fuss about everything on social media,” he said.

For Ali, there was nothing wrong in celebrating after a triumph, however, he said that players should not become arrogant after their achievements.