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'Keeping him on bench against world-class team.. I don't understand': Afridi backs Pakistan star ahead of Karachi Test
The pitch in the Rawalpindi Test was a batting paradise and only 14 wickets fell through five days, with Australian bowlers taking only four.
Pakistan played out a dull draw against Australia in the first Test of the series in Rawalpindi. After declaring their first innings on 476/4, Pakistan bowled Australia out on 459; however, there wasn't enough time remaining in the game to enforce a result, as Pakistan openers Abdullah Shafique and Imam-ul-Haq played an entire fifth day to assure a draw.
The Rawalpindi Test drew criticism from the cricket fraternity due to the poor condition of the pitch. The surface was a batting paradise and only 14 wickets fell through five days, with Australian bowlers taking only four. Pakistan, meanwhile, opted to play with only four bowlers including off-spinner Sajid Khan and left-arm orthodox spinner Nauman Ali.
However, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi believes Pakistan should put their faith in leg-spinner Yasir Shah.
“If you have an off-spinner who can bowl doosra like Saeed Ajmal, Saqlain Mushtaq, or Muttiah Muralitharan, it is understandable. Otherwise, I don't think there's that big a role of an off-spinner,” Afridi said on Samaa TV.
“You have Yasir Shah, one of the most senior cricketers who has won you so many games. Keeping him on the bench against a world-class team, I just don't understand it at all.”
Further commenting on Sajid Khan's performance (1/122 in 45 overs), Afridi said that he didn't have expectation from him because the pitch was slow.
“Sajid has performed well. I didn't have many expectations from him in this pitch because the pitch was very slow and didn't have much bounce,” said Afridi.
Earlier, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam praised batter Imam-ul-Haq for his performance in the first Test against Australia, here in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
Pakistan openers Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique scored unbeaten centuries as Pakistan scored 252 without losing any wicket on the fifth and final day of the first Test match being played here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.
