Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has expressed satisfaction over the return of Babar Azam to the one-day side, saying his presence will bring stability to the middle order.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday ahead of the ODI series against Australia, which begins tomorrow (Saturday), Shaheen said preparations for the tour had been satisfactory and players had worked hard during the training camp.
He said morale in the squad was high ahead of the Australia series and extended Eid-ul-Azha greetings to the public, expressing hope that everyone had enjoyed the occasion.
Shaheen said Babar remained an extremely important player for Pakistan and added that the batter was in good form. He expressed hope that Babar would continue to produce strong performances in the coming matches.
Referring to team selection, Shaheen said the omission of Mohammad Rizwan did not mean his cricket career was over. He recalled that both he and Babar had previously been left out of the side before returning.
The Pakistan captain said players selected by the head coach should continue working on areas requiring improvement. He added that the captain, head coach and selectors together decide the composition of the team through the proper process.
Speaking about Pakistan’s pace attack, Shaheen said every bowler was trying to improve speed and consistency. In a light-hearted remark, he said he would try to bowl at “200 speed”, adding that even machines develop faults with time and players were also trying to “reload” themselves.
Shaheen said the team was sacrificing personal and family time for the sake of cricket and regretted that negative matters were often highlighted more prominently.
He said no bowler intentionally repeats mistakes and maintained that the side always entered the field with the aim of winning for Pakistan. Shaheen also expressed hope that young cricketers would deliver strong performances in the Australia series.
Australian skipper says Pakistan series will help young players gain experience
Australian captain Josh Inglis said he does not believe Pakistan hold any advantage over the Baggy Greens ahead of the series.
“We have several experienced cricketers in our side,” Inglis said. Praising the hospitality in Pakistan, Inglis said the people of the country were generous and the hospitality outstanding.
He said the series against Pakistan was highly important for Australia in preparation for the ICC Men’s World Cup 2027. “We always enjoy coming to Pakistan,” he said.
Speaking about local conditions, Inglis said Australia would have to adjust quickly to the pitches in Pakistan.
Inglis said it was disappointing that Mitchell Marsh had missed the tour. He added that Australia had considerable young talent in the squad, including Billy Stanlake, Riley Meredith and Nathan Ellis.
Inglis also termed the series as a valuable opportunity for young players to display their abilities.
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