3 bowlers who can replace Shaheen Afridi if he’s not fit for India vs Pakistan match ft. Mohammad Wasim Jnr
Anxiousness was warped on the faces of the crowd that had assembled in Multan following Shaheen Afridi's niggle during the Asia Cup 2023 opener against Nepal on Wednesday. The left-arm seamer wreaked havoc with the new ball as usual and took two wickets in his very first over.
However, Shaheen bowled only five overs, following which he was seen conversing with the medical staff on the boundary ropes midway through the second innings. Ultimately, he decided to walk off the field, which strikes fear into the heart of Pakistan, with the crucial high-profile clash against India only a couple of days away.
While Pakistan do have Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf in their pace unit, the potential absence of Shaheen Afridi comes across as a huge concern for the Men in Green. He has been in a good run of form ever since his return from injury, which includes the Test series against Sri Lanka, the Hundred, and the ODIs against Afghanistan.
Considering Team India's sub-par record against left-arm seamers, Pakistan will be hoping that Afridi be available for the contest. The No.1 ranked ODI team might also have to consider alternatives if the pacer is not fit in time.
On that note, here are bowlers who can replace Shaheen Afridi if he’s not fit for India vs Pakistan match.
#1 Mohammad Wasim Jnr
The right-arm pacer is the product of the ever-reliant Pakistani pacer pipeline. His inclusion in the team midway through the T20 World Cup 2022 turned around Pakistan's campaign altogether.
Barring the bilateral ODI series against the Netherlands in 2022, all of Mohammad Wasim Jnr's appearances have come in subcontinent conditions. He has played 15 ODIs since making his debut against Australia in early 2022, taking 24 wickets at an economy rate of 5.17.
Much like Shaheen Afridi, he is a solid new ball bowler and could get it to swing along with Naseem Shah from the other end, allowing Haris Rauf to come in later on and operate on his raw pace.
Additionally, Wasim Jnr is also a handy player with the bat, holding a List A average close to 20, which includes a fifty as well.
#2 Faheem Ashraf
The all-rounder's inclusion in Pakistan's Asia Cup squad came as a surprise, but selection committee head Inzamam-ul-Haq backed the selection. Based on the injury concerns to Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf so early into the tournament, coupled with the crucial contests coming up, it is proving to be an excellent addition.
Faheem Ashraf's last ODI appearance prior to his latest ODI setup came in 2021 during the tour of England. He has taken 25 wickets in 32 appearances at an economy of 5.12 in addition to scoring 220 runs at a strike rate of 83.97.
Ashraf is not in any way a direct replacement for Shaheen Afridi in the bowling unit, but he does bring other attributes to the table as well. His presence strengthens the lower-middle order and increases the batting depth in the process as well.
While Iftikhar Ahmed looks in good touch, the problem plaguing Pakistan for a significant while is unlikely to disappear overnight.
#3 Usama Mir
Pakistan have a proficient leg-spinner in Shadab Khan, and since they usually play three frontline pacers, their second spinner comes in the form of all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz.
As spinners had a say in the first match of Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka, Usama Mir has emerged as a left-field option for Pakistan to consider. Another factor that favors the leg-spinner is the right-handed heavy Team India batting unit. Leg-spinners operating from both ends could choke the Indian unit, who may be forced to alter their batting unit to cope with it.
Mir has taken 11 wickets in eight matches at an economy of 5.43 and was in fine form while representing the Manchester Originals in The Hundred.
Should Pakistan consider risking Shaheen Afridi for the India encounter even if he is not fully fit? Let us know what you think.