The Goodfellas in Asia Cup: Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, & Haris Rauf with the 90’s nostalgia | Cricket News
Of all the relentless 90’s nostalgia going around in popular culture, nobody does it better than Pakan cricket. Their fast bowling unit with a left-arm wr-snapper and a couple of right-arm finger-flickers have drenched the cricketing world in nostalgia.
Similar to how it was in the 90s, in Shaheen Shah Afridi they have a left-arm fast-bowler from the Khyber province that runs close to Afghanan, who has the cricket world in awe how he keeps everything so simple. Even the OG Wasim Akram wasn’t as mean as Afridi when it comes to dishing out yorkers with the new ball. He was saving up for the last, but Afridi, the new age phenomenon doesn’t like to play around much. He has 60 deliveries in ODIs, and if it was up to Afridi, he might binge on yorkers but why bother when he has the most venomous incoming delivery that not many batsmen are able to keep out. Not many bowlers win battles even before starting their run-up as he does.
Giving him company with the new ball is right-arm seamer Naseem Shah, who at 20 understands the importance of pace through the air. Having announced his arrival as a 17-year-old, he hurries up batsmen and when he gets some movement, he can be unplayable. He is already the youngest fast bowler to take five-wickets in a Test innings and a Test hat-trick to his name. Ever since he broke into the Test team, he has been waiting for an opportunity to outshine Afridi in limited-overs and after getting an opportunity last year, he is steaming up the competition. Sounds familiar?
At first change, there is Pindi-born Haris Rauf, the fastest of the three. He doesn’t have a toe-crusher but uses his shoulders more to hit the deck hard to create a disconcerting lift allied with movement that batsmen find difficult to cope. He is nearing 30, and is their bhade bhai, who finds mostly himself in the shadows of the two and on YouTube shows jokes about Afridi and Naseem not giving him enough wickets to take. Like another pacer from Pindi, he is equally temperamental, and likes the theatrics but totally different off the field. Being the senior most, he has a bigger responsibility of bowling in the middle-overs, and if Afridi and Naseem end up giving an opening, he can keep drilling deep into the opposition.
It is not as if the trio have a wealth of experience behind them; only a combined ODI experience of 82 matches. But regularly featuring in T20 leagues, sans the IPL, across the globe where they are the most sought after, similar to how Windies power-hitters were in the not so dant past, they are acing their roles. During the net sessions, their camaraderie stands out, where each one not only keeps an eye on what the other is doing, but also makes it a point to share details that they observe.
“I feel proud to see the quality of pacers we have,” Pakan captain Babar Azam said. “They are one of the best in the world. The way we dominate throughout, you see it’s the pacers who help you win matches in big tournaments. Their secret to success is that they bowl in partnership, their self-belief. If someone is not clicking, another will do that. They back each other. And this is true in every department whether it’s batting or bowling,” Azam added.
The bowling partnership, though, extends beyond these three. For variety they have the immensely talented all-rounder Shadab Khan, who isn’t as mischievous as Mushtaq Ahmed with the ball in hand, but good enough on his day to turn matches should Azam back him more with his field placements. Throw in Mohammad Nawaz and Iftikhar Ahmed, left-arm finger spinner and a part-time offie, it is impossible to look beyond Pakan for a more rounded attack that will test the batsmen at the World Cup.Most Read
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For a team where emotions can occasionally tend to run high, they look a different pack this time. Despite juggling between Pakan and Sri Lanka because of the hybrid model in play for the Asia Cup, not once have they come across as a unit that will use it as an excuse. Rather, they are embracing the challenge, where despite minimum training schedules, are making the most out of everything. With the World Cup looming, they are taking extra possible care to keep the unit intact.
“We always knew the schedule and how much we have to travel. So it’s become important how we look after our players. We have planned everything well. Given the continuous cricket we are playing both in Pakan and Sri Lanka, you can say we hold an edge. We have been playing here in Sri Lanka for the past two and a half months. We played Tests, we played a series against Afghanan and then LPL, so it can be said we have an advantage (over India). We have been playing back to back matches, travelling so it’s better to keep boys relaxed,” Azam said.
On Sunday, at the R Premadasa stadium, they will severely test India once again.
