MELBOURNE: Australia’s former captain and 1999 World Cup winner – Mark Waugh has termed Pakistan’s leading pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi as a major threat for David Warner ahead of Australia’s historic tour to Pakistan.
Waugh, while speaking to Cricket Australia (CA) discussed Warner’s toil against fast bowlers and claimed that Afridi will put him to the test.
“I don’t think Warner looked quite as comfortable against quick bowling in recent times – Mark Wood definitely unsettled him, and Shaheen Afridi will be a big test for him,” he said.
“It’s a different angle and for him, it’s a little bit like a right-arm quick coming round the wicket – do you play the ball, or do you leave the ball?,” Waugh added.
Waugh also opined about Australia’s tour to Pakistan and the pitches on offer. The former captain went on to term the Green shirts a tougher opposition for Australia as compared to England.
“Pitches in Pakistan are different to that of India as they do not break early nor are dusty. They do not have much grass but help the ball to reverse swing. So I think the pacers in Pakistan are as threatful as the spinners,” he said.
“Pakistan will be a tough opposition for Australia as compared to England,” he concluded.
It is pertinent to mention here that Australia will tour Pakistan for the first time in 24 years to play three Tests, as many ODIs and one-off T20I. The historic tour will take place in March-April this year in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore.
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