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LAUDERHILL: Pakistan fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf opened up about their return to the national team after the 3-0 T20I series win against the West Indies here on Monday.
In a video shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the duo sat down with teammate Hasan Ali to reflect on their performances, fitness journeys, and the mental challenges of returning from injury.
Shaheen Afridi, who returned to the side after a period of rest, credited the break for helping him recalibrate.
“PSL went well for me, Alhamdulillah, and then I was given rest,” he shared.
“When you rest, your body tells you what it needs, so I focused on those areas and worked specifically on my bowling, and what further improvements I could make.”
The left-arm pacer explained the tactical approach adopted in the series.
“We knew the wickets would be on the slower side, so the plan was to bowl as many deliveries as possible on a consistent length,” he added.
“As a bowling unit, we tried to stay disciplined. In such conditions, when you bowl with good length and smart variations, especially against a team like West Indies, it benefits the side.”
Meanwhile, Haris Rauf emphasized the importance of trusting his skills despite limited preparation time.
“Our plan was simple: to assess the conditions early and stick to the game plan,” he said.
“Coming back from injury and playing matches immediately isn’t easy because I had very little time to train. But as a professional, you have to believe in your skills.”
The speedster also shared that the experience of playing in the Major League Cricket (MLC) helped boost his confidence.
“I had a good season in MLC, which gave me confidence. But against the West Indies, bowling is never easy in any condition because their batters can change the game at any moment,” he stated.
READ: Salman Ali Agha explains why he did not bowl in West Indies T20Is
