Gary Kirsten worried over workload of Shaheen, Naseem

Pakistan’s limited overs format coach Gary Kristen has expressed his concern over pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah’s workload across formats for Pakistan.

Kirsten, while commentating on Monday’s Champions One-Day Cup, shared an alarming insight regarding ace pacer Afridi, who according to him, bowled three times more than any other pacer in the world.

“Fast bowlers are always under immense pressure to deliver and win games. When we look at our key resources, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have carried the bulk of the workload for Pakistan across all formats,” said Gary Kirsten.

“Shaheen has bowled three times more overs than any other fast bowler in the world over the last 18 months. That’s alarming—you’re bound to wear him down eventually,” he added.

Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah are one of the few players, who are regular parts of the Pakistan team across formats. However both pacers have sustained severe injuries in the past, resulting in them missing out on major tournaments like ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2022 and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.