Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan's premier fast bowler, has responded to concerns raised by white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten about his workload. Kirsten recently pointed out that Shaheen has bowled significantly more overs than other fast bowlers, suggesting this could lead to injury.
However, Shaheen disagrees with this assessment and feels that workload is not an issue for him. He believes that how a player handles their body is what matters most.
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What did Shaheen Afridi say on Gary Kirsten's workload concerns?
Shaheen Afridi dismissed the concerns raised by Kirsten, referencing legendary bowlers like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. He said that these iconic bowlers bowled many overs during their careers without facing similar issues.
“First of all, if you are saying that I have bowled the most in the world, but if you look in the past, all our legends bowlers Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, at that time there was no workload issue,” Afridi said on Samaa TV.
According to Shaheen, the idea of managing workload has become a bigger topic in recent years, but he feels it is not as important as maintaining mental fitness and strength.
“I don’t know why we have made it a big topic over the last one year that there is workload, players are getting injured. We are considering it more important. It depends individually on the players, how they play in particular formats. You need to be mentally fit and strong on how to react in different circumstances,” Afridi added.
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For Shaheen, mental fitness plays a crucial role in success, especially when playing regularly in different formats. He explained that it is normal to feel pressure, but it is the ability to develop new techniques that helps fast bowlers like him continue performing at a high level. Shaheen believes that enjoying the game, regardless of the format, is essential for consistent performance.
What were Gary Kirsten's concerns?
Gary Kirsten had highlighted that Shaheen has bowled three times more overs than any other fast bowler over the past 18 months. Kirsten warned that this could eventually wear Shaheen down.
He also pointed out that both Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have carried a heavy workload for Pakistan across all formats, raising questions about how long they can continue at this pace.
While Shaheen Afridi downplays the workload debate, it remains a topic of concern for the team management. As Pakistan prepares for upcoming matches, the balance between maintaining fitness and managing workloads will continue to be an important discussion.
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