Discipline Lacking In Shaheen’s Bowling, Critiques Waqar Younis At Cricket World Cup

Shivani Kumari

October 17, 2023

8 min read

Summary: Ex-Pakistan Captain Advises Shaheen Shah Afridi to Take Cues from Jasprit Bumrah's Stellar World Cup Performance.

Waqar Younis, the renowned Pakistani bowler, has recommended that Shaheen Shah Afridi study Jasprit Bumrah's performance in the ongoing ODI World Cup to rediscover his rhythm and form.

"I'm not certain if there are any fitness issues," remarked Waqar, as reported by AFP. Waqar believes that Shaheen's bowling lacks discipline as he attempts to incorporate numerous elements.

"The key element missing in his bowling is discipline, and he's pushing too hard to take wickets," Waqar Younis remarked. "When you keep doing the same thing repeatedly, like Shaheen focusing on perfecting his yorker, batsmen become aware of it and prepare accordingly."

In contrast, Jasprit Bumrah, who has accumulated eight wickets in the World Cup, has been outstanding in maintaining precise line and length. Waqar commended the Indian speedster, saying, "Bumrah is consistently building pressure with his line, often targeting the top of the off-stump. He performed exceptionally well against Pakistan, using pressure to secure wickets."

Waqar Younis believes that the injury to Naseem Shah might have had an adverse impact on Shaheen's recent performance.

"Naseem is an effective bowler, and he's known for his ability to maintain a tight economy rate. When Naseem builds pressure, batsmen tend to take risks against other bowlers, which often leads to wickets," he stated.

"It's not solely due to the absence of a single bowler, but rather because they're not sticking to a simple approach," Waqar mentioned. Pakistan will face Australia in Bengaluru on Friday.