Srinagar: The Cricket World is taking note of quality fast bowler missing in Pakistan pace attack and latest to raise concern is Australia star Mitchell Starc who recently became highest ever paid cricketer in IPL.
In the first Test vs Australia in Perth, visitors Pakistan suffered 360 run defeat.Senior pacer Shaheen Afridi struggled on the wicket, but the two debutants impressed with the zip they got around the wicket. Khurram Shahzad picked five, while Aamer Jamal picked seven wickets. However, what has stunned everyone is the lack of Fast bowler in Pakistan bowling lineup which is a surpise for many including Starc.
“I think everyone was slightly surprised at the lower pace of the Pakistan bowlers when you’re generally used to some guys getting in the 150s,” Starc said. “I don’t think that pace is the be all and end all but it certainly plays a part and can help.”
“Case in point, you look at Scotty Boland who can bowl good wheels, but he’s not at your top end of pace bowlers. But he generates a lot of sideways movement here in Melbourne, obviously being his home ground.
“He’s done it for a long time and we saw that obviously against England [during the Ashes in 2021, where Boland picked 6/7 in his debut Test], where every ball he bowled could have been a wicket. Certainly, for our attack, we all complement each other well by doing things very differently.”
Earlier Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis also raised concern on lack of pace during a show on ESPN’s Around the Wicket.
“I’m seeing medium and slow medium pacers. I’m seeing allrounders,” Waqar said. “There’s no real pace. People used to come to watch Pakistani pace bowlers running in hard, and bowling 150 clicks”.
“That’s what I’m not seeing and that’s what my worry is.
“That’s my worry at the domestic level as well. I can understand there are a few injuries, but in the past, you saw a battery of fast bowlers in reserve that Pakistan could bring on. But unfortunately, that is not there, and it’s something I’m really worried about.”