Top order must fire: Shaheen urges improvement despite Pakistan’s dominant Tri-Series start
Top order must fire: Shaheen urges improvement despite Pakistan’s dominant Tri-Series start
By Nawaz Gohar ; Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has issued a firm reminder to his side’s top-order batters, urging them to step up and deliver, even as the Men in Green secured back-to-back victories in the ongoing home ODI Tri-Series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Speaking at the post-match presentation following Pakistan’s clinical 87-run triumph over England, Shaheen expressed immense pride in his side’s winning momentum but maintained a sharp focus on the bigger picture—building a formidable unit for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
While the middle-order powered Pakistan past the 300-run mark against England, early stumbles at the top—including a golden duck for Fakhar Zaman and early departures for Saim Ayub and Babar Azam—remained an area of concern for the skipper.
Shaheen was quick to credit the middle and lower-order contingent for stepping up under pressure, singling out Hasan Nawaz (79), Arafat Minhas (59), and Faheem Ashraf (39) for their vital contributions that turned the game in Pakistan’s favor.
“It was really good how Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, and Faheem Ashraf batted to haul us back into the game,” Shaheen remarked. “However, we also need our top order to fire consistently. As a team, we have done many good things in these two games, but there is always room for improvement—especially as we look to build a dominant side toward the World Cup.”
The skipper reserved high praise for 21-year-old phenom Arafat Minhas, whose historic all-round display—scoring a half-century before taking 6 for 40—anchored Pakistan’s victory over the tourists.
Highlighting the importance of having genuine depth in both departments, Shaheen labeled Minhas a complete asset for the national team’s long-term vision.
“The form of Arafat and our fast bowlers is a huge positive for us,” Shaheen noted warmly. “Arafat is a tremendous talent and a proper all-rounder, which bodes extremely well for our balance. He proved his class today, and hopefully, he will continue to deliver match-winning performances for Pakistan in many more games to come.”
With wins against both Sri Lanka and England under their belt, Pakistan currently sit comfortably at the top of the Tri-Series table. However, Shaheen’s constructive critique underlines a clear tactical ambition: transforming Pakistan into a ruthless, clinical ODI force capable of dominating games right from the opening overs.
