In the ongoing test series vs Australia ,during the first innings at Optus Stadium in Perth, Pakistani bowlers produced a horrendous performance with the ball. This allowed Australians to pile up 487 runs in their first innings with a healthy run rate rate and then reduced Pakistan to 132 for the loss of 2 wickets at the end of Day 2.
The Pakistani bowlers in the process of bowling out Australia failed to assess the conditions suitable for bowling during the first half of the Australian innings. Some fielding lapses and lackluster line and lengths from the the bowlers has now allowed the Australians to seek early advantage in the ongoing test match.
It seemed throughout the Australian innings that the Pakistani bowlers did not had a proper plan or rather failed to execute the plan on the field while bowling. The continuous misreading of line and lengths and excessive use of short ball bouncers with minimal pace led to the downfall of the plan to bowl out Australia early in the innings. This led to Pakistan now being on the backfoot and now playing the catching up game with Australia in the remaining of the Test match.
The length is the key-Wasim Akram’s golden advice to Pakistan bowlers
This sort of lackluster bowling have seemingly irked and disappointed former Pakistani fast bowler now turned commentator Wasim Akram. Wasim Akram who was the part of the World Cup WINNING Pakistan’s team in 1992 and has toured Australia on several occasions has expressed his concerns over the commentary about the lackluster performance by the Pakistani bowling attack. He even going further has shared his piece of advice of how to bowl in tougher conditions in the SENA countries by the Asian touring teams.
The former Pakistan captain pointed out that the sub-continent pacers are wooed by the pace and bounce offered in Australia and bowl short, a ploy that backfires. The legendary pacer said that the bowlers should focus on their line and length to produce wickets, something the Australians tend to do diligently.
The cricketer-turned-commentator told Fox Sports:
“Australia is a different ballgame. The Kookaburra ball after 15 overs, it doesn’t do anything. They want you to bowl short. They get the hang of the bounce. They can pull well. They can hook well,” said Wasim Akram.
“I think my advice to all the Pakistani bowlers is that length is the key. The minute you get the length right, that’s where you trouble the batters, not with the short balls. Don’t get excited by the bounce here at the Optus Cricket Ground,” he added
It seemed that the former Pakistani legend is clearly upset with the way Pakistan bowlers and the team has been performing and hopes for the better improvement in the bowling department from Pakistan.