The primary Pakistani spinners Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan did not bowl on Friday against New Zealand in the opening warm-up game of the ICC World Cup 2023, which the Green Shirts lost by five wickets despite having set a lofty 346-run mark.
Cricket enthusiasts and experts expressed concern after being shocked to learn that these two were absent in action.
As the New Zealand hitters chased the 300+ mark in the 44th over,we has learned why Shaheen and Shadab didn’t bowl.
The team management reportedly wanted to offer other bowlers more opportunities for match practice, therefore the duo was not given the opportunity during the match “under a strategy,” according to insiders.
According to the sources, “the management has planned to test all 15 members of the squad during the two warm-up matches differently.”
The decision has been made to “acclimate” before the competition.
At Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday, the Kiwis defeated Pakistan by five wickets after successfully chasing down a mammoth 345-run total.
New Zealand, which was chasing 346 to win, lost an early wicket before Ravindra Jadeja (97) and Kane Williamson (54) put up a 137-run partnership to bring their team back on track. They hit the mark with 6.2 overs remaining.
In Pakistan’s 345-5 after choosing to bat first, Mohammed Rizwan scored 103 and Babar Azam made 80, but the Kiwi batsmen made the total seem simple against an attack lacking pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Williamson, who only participated as a batter in the game after missing six months owing to a knee injury, had remarkable form during his 50-ball stint before being dismissed.
Williamson remarked of his knee after the victory, “It held up pretty good,” noting that he will miss the tournament’s opening match against England on October 5.
“After that (knock), a little bit of frosting. But that is a step in the procedure. Being named to the squad and being fortunate with that recuperation were exciting to me.
Agha Salman prevented Ravindra from scoring a century despite the fact that he hit 16 fours and one six against the opposition bowlers.
Usama Mir, a Pakistani spinner, struck twice in his two overs, but Daryl Mitchell scored 59 to keep the chase moving.
New Zealand completed the task in 43.4 overs thanks to a 68-run partnership between left-handed batsman Mark Chapman, who hit the decisive six in his unbeaten 65, and James Neesham, who scored 33.
Azam earlier scored eight fours and two sixes before being bowled out by Mitchell Santner, but Rizwan continued and made another crucial stand with Saud Shakeel, who scored 75, to reach his century.
In his 94-ball innings, Rizwan hit nine fours and two sixes and declared: “A hundred is a hundred in any circumstance. I am content and proud.
Due to a Hindu holiday and security concerns in the southern Indian city, the game, which was played among other warm-ups, was not an official one-day match and was played in an empty stadium.
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