Pakistan’s T20I captain, Shaheen Afridi, has raised eyebrows by suggesting that speed guns in Australia may have tampered with readings during their recent three-match Test series Down Under. Despite their efforts, the Pakistani pace attack struggled to surpass speeds of 130-132 kph, a fact that left the team puzzled and contemplating potential pre-determined limitations on their pace.
Following a 3-0 defeat in Australia, the team has now shifted its focus to a five-match T20I series in New Zealand. Shaheen, who assumed the white-ball captaincy from Babar Azam, expressed pride in leading Pakistan and acknowledged New Zealand as one of the world’s top teams.
Reflecting on the challenging Australian tour, Shaheen addressed concerns about the pace recorded on speed guns. “To be honest, we were looking at the speedometers and wondering, is this really us? Despite putting in all the effort, the speeds were not going up. Seeing 130-132 kph was disheartening, and we thought this was pre-decided that we won’t go above 130 kph,” he remarked.
Looking forward to the T20I series against New Zealand, Shaheen emphasized his pride in leading the team, recognizing the upcoming challenge against one of the best teams globally. The first T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand is set to take place at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, January 12.
