Pakistan’s pace bowling attack has come under sharp criticism from Ramiz Raja, Sikandar Bakht, and Rashid Latif after an underwhelming first day of the first Test against Bangladesh at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.
Ramiz Raja went straight to the numbers, noting that Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Abbas were all bowling in the average range of 128 to 132 kph.
He argued that those speeds are simply not enough to threaten quality batting sides in Test cricket without consistent support from the conditions.
“Now tell me, if you want to win Test matches, whether it’s on green pitches or not, you cannot run through batting lineups with this kind of bowling attack unless the ball is seaming around consistently at that speed. You need strong seam movement or proper swing, and we didn’t see that either,” Ramiz said.
He acknowledged that Pakistan’s bowling suits home conditions, where spin-friendly tracks are prepared and spinners do the heavy lifting, but argued the side cannot call itself a strong Test unit without a pace attack that also performs away from home.
“Unfortunately, this bowling attack will struggle badly on good batting pitches because a quality bowling unit usually has a genuine tearaway fast bowler, someone who can bowl at 145+ kph, along with variety in the attack,” he said.
Sikandar Bakht directed his frustration specifically at Shaheen, questioning both his approach and his fitness. He pointed out that Shaheen is only 26-years-old yet went seven to eight overs on the first day without bowling a single bouncer.
“He’s only 26, and yet you’re bowling like a veteran who has lost his pace. Just bowl one or two or three deliveries like bullets past the batsman’s head so he can at least understand how the pitch is behaving. You did nothing like that,” Bakht said.
“I was literally counting every over, for seven or eight overs, not a single bouncer was bowled. How is that even possible for a fast bowler? A fast bowler should charge in aggressively and bowl sharp deliveries at the batsman’s body or face to make him uncomfortable. That’s part of a fast bowler’s strategy,” he said.
Bakht also raised concerns about Shaheen’s physical condition, saying he has been flagging the issue for months.
“I’m honestly shocked by his fitness even today. For the last four or five months, I’ve been saying the same thing, he does not look fit. There seems to be no proper fitness test for anyone. Just because he’s the captain, no one questions whether he’s actually fit or not. Fast bowling is not done this way. You can’t just come in and bowl casually,” he said.
Rashid Latif broadened the discussion beyond Shaheen, calling for a proper development pipeline for Pakistan’s fast bowlers and arguing the current system fails promising pacers before they get a fair run.
“Your pace battery needs to be recharged now. After you, there’s Aamer Jamal, Ali Raza, Aaqib Javed and others, give these guys proper chances. You throw them into T20 cricket for a few games, they get hit around, and then they’re dropped immediately. That’s not how you develop fast bowlers,” Latif said.
Without naming the bowler directly, Latif also pointed to the gap between how Pakistan’s pacers bowl in T20s compared to Tests.
“At one stage, his average speed was around 135 kph. Now that pace has clearly dropped. In T20s, where a bowler only has four overs to bowl, he suddenly reaches 140-144 kph. That difference is about intensity, fitness, and the mindset with which you approach the game. If you can bowl 140+ in T20 cricket, then there’s no reason you can’t maintain serious pace in Test cricket as well,” he said.
Apart from senior cricket figures, Shaheen is also getting brutally trolled on the internet, with fans calling him a “fake eagle” among other sarcastic titles.
Many are also calling him a nightmare for tailenders, pointing out that he often picks up wickets only after the opposition is six or seven down.
Those low speeds gave Bangladesh’s batters a comfort zone after an early wobble at 31 for 2. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mominul Haque then put on 170 runs for the third wicket largely without concern, and Bangladesh finished the day in a strong position.
Bangladesh posted 410 in their first innings on day three, with Mohammad Abbas leading the wicket takers with five while Shaheen managed two.
The criticism over Shaheen’s pace is not new. At his peak, Shaheen clocked deliveries at up to 151 kph, with a radar gun recording that figure during a PSL 2021 match for Lahore Qalandars.
Back-to-back knee injuries in 2022 then disrupted his rhythm significantly.
