'You cannot offer them green wickets': Shaheen Afridi defends pitch strategy

Skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi has defended Pakistan’s approach to pitch preparation following their 2-1 ODI series victory over Australia, stating that home conditions are routinely tailored to maximise advantage, as is common practice in international cricket.

Speaking after Pakistan’s tense, low-scoring win in the final ODI at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, Shaheen Shah Afridi addressed the ongoing debate surrounding pitch preparation and backed the team management’s strategy of producing conditions that suit home strengths while also outlining Pakistan’s broader planning cycle ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

He emphasised that modern international cricket requires long-term planning and adaptability, adding that teams worldwide often prepare pitches to suit their own strengths. 

Shaheen stressed that Pakistan will continue to expose players to varied conditions through upcoming tours in order to improve versatility and readiness for global events.

"There are 15 months to the World Cup. Every team prepares pitches that suit them when they play in their backyard to win," Afridi said.

"We have Test series [in the West Indies and England coming up] in which some of these players will play and they can use them to prepare themselves [for the World Cup]... We played on green and bouncy pitches when we went to Australia under [Mohammad] Rizwan's captaincy and we won that series. You cannot offer them green wickets when they come here because we have to win," he added.

Afridi further explained that the challenging nature of the surfaces used in the series was intentional, designed to test the squad’s adaptability under pressure.

"These were tough wickets, and scoring runs or spending time on them was not easy. We have time on our hands before the World Cup and we will prepare pitches of different characteristics as well in the build-up," he stated.

The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia was largely dominated by discussions around pitch conditions, with Pakistan opting for turning tracks in Rawalpindi and Lahore to maximise home advantage against a depleted touring side.

Pakistan clinched the series 2-1 after a nervy, low-scoring decider in Lahore, but questions persist over how beneficial the series will be for their long-term preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup in southern Africa, where conditions are expected to assist pace bowling.

Afridi, who also contributed with the ball, highlighted the importance of continuity in selection and praised Pakistan’s bowling unit for adapting well to demanding conditions. He particularly pointed to the value of giving extended opportunities to emerging players.

"There were some players who got an opportunity in this series," Afridi said. "We played the same team throughout the series, which has not happened for the last one year… It was good to see how Arafat Minhas bowled throughout the three matches and so was the case with Abrar [Ahmed], who also bowled a good spell today.

The 26-year-old also addressed criticism around the consistent selection of Shadab Khan, insisting the all-rounder’s performance justified his inclusion.

“But the biggest positive was Shadab Khan's performance. Everyone questioned why he was getting opportunities regularly. But, I feel, it is only mature players who can win you such [close] matches in tough conditions. He bowled with control and took two wickets,” he concluded.

Pakistan now have a break of around six weeks before their Test tour of the West Indies, followed by a series in England and a home assignment against Sri Lanka later in the year, when their next white-ball fixtures are expected.