Shahid Afridi rates Pakistan's pace attack as strongest in T20 World Cup 2024
The Men in Green have selected five top-notch fast bowlers for their 15-player squad
Shahid Afridi has labelled Pakistan's pace attack as the best in the world and holds high expectations for their performance at next month's ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.
The Men in Green have selected five top-notch fast bowlers for their 15-player squad in the ninth edition of the tournament. Left-armer Shaheen Afridi will lead the pace attack, supported by Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abbas Afridi, and Mohammad Amir.
"I think in any cricket team in the world, nobody has such a strong bowling line-up," Afridi said.
"All our four fast bowlers have a lot of skill and even the bowlers sitting on the bench like Abbas (Afridi)...has a lot of skill with a good slower ball.
“If the players with such good skills enter this World Cup against world-class batters they will perform well. All the names will also have a huge responsibility over them."
Babar Azam's men lost in the T20 World Cup 2022 final to England and Afridi is of the opinion that the team can replicate or even surpass that achievement this time.
"I feel Pakistan should make the final," he said.
"The reason is that the conditions (in West Indies and USA) suit our team.
“If we look at the spinners in our team, they are outstanding. They might not be in form but I know they will return in form. If we talk about fast bowling, it’s an incredible attack. In batting, we have great strength.
"The thing that bothers me is the strike rate of our batters, especially in between the seven to thirteen over phase. I hope that the strike rate improves in that phase. In terms of runs per over, eight or nine runs per over are needed but still Pakistan are my favourite."
Meanwhile, Afridi picked skipper Babar as the key figure for Pakistan in the upcoming competition.
"All players in the team are important. But if you look at the performances in the recent past, Babar (Azam). (Mohammad) Rizwan, Fakhar (Zaman), Shaheen (Afridi), Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shadab (Khan) - all of them play an important role and will be key (for Pakistan) at the World Cup.
"But if I had to pick one, I would pick the captain Babar Azam, because he is the leader.
"I want him to perform well, make timely decisions which will take the team to victory."
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