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OC Exclusive | 'Pakistan Have Suffered In Absence of Naseem Shah': Waqar Younis

image-lnn46ditNaseem was ruled out of the World Cup 2023 [Twitter]

On Saturday, October 14, the age-old rivalry between India and Pakistan will be reignited in the World's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, adding another gripping chapter to their storied history.

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 is currently underway, with both teams widely regarded as prime contenders to hoist the coveted trophy. 

However, it's worth noting that both India and Pakistan are competing without their full-strength squads, primarily due to the absence of key players – India without Rishabh Pant and Pakistan without Naseem Shah. Both of these first-choice players have been sidelined from the 2023 World Cup due to injury concerns.

Former Pakistan captain and bowling coach, Waqar Younis, shared his insights on the absence of these two players in the highly anticipated clash in an exclusive interview with One Cricket's LOC 3.0. 

According to Waqar, while India may not feel the absence of Rishabh Pant significantly, Pakistan is undoubtedly feeling the impact of losing their in-form fast bowler, Naseem Shah.

"Pakistan has suffered in the absence of Naseem Shah. He was on his way to becoming a great player, but unfortunately, he got injured at a crucial point in his career. I don't think India will be affected by Pant's absence. Naseem was bowling quickly, he was performing well, and he was crucial for Pakistan in the World Cup,"  Waqar Younis told OneCricket.

Hasan not as good as Naseem: Waqar

Waqar emphasized that Pakistan doesn't have many alternatives but to adapt to the absence of Naseem Shah. A legendary fast bowler himself, he acknowledged that Hasan Ali, who has stepped in to replace Naseem in Pakistan's World Cup squad, may not be on par with Naseem's capabilities. Nonetheless, Hasan Ali is tasked with shouldering the responsibilities for the team.

"Pakistan has to deal with it. Hasan Ali has joined the squad. He may not be as good as Naseem, but for now, he's in the team. What Hasan did in 2017 (Champions Trophy), he hasn't been able to replicate that performance ever since,"  added Waqar.

In the absence of Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul has emerged as India's go-to performer, delivering match-winning contributions since his return in the 2023 Asia Cup. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan has seen Hasan Ali rise to the occasion with a remarkable six-wicket haul across the first two World Cup games. Hasan Ali has undoubtedly been the standout bowler for the Pakistan team thus far, keeping their hopes high.