Picture Credit: X
Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah in his recent interaction spoke about the culture that persists in the Pakistan cricket team. He revealed that how the members of the Pakistan team are scared of taking breaks in order to rest their bodies, fearing that their replacement could be permanent in the side.
In his conversation with Cricwick, Naseem Shah revealed that he was even worried after he missed the ODI World Cup 2023 in India due to a shoulder injury. “Honestly, the main players are afraid of giving their bodies rest even when they know they need a break because the Pakistan cricket culture is such that if a new player comes in and performs in a match or two, you don’t know if he will replace you permanently in the team,” Naseem Shah told Cricwick.
“This fear does not allow players to rest because you are scared your career could end there,” he further asserted. However, he opined for a better clarity and communication between the senior players and the team management to manage the workload of players.
Comparing the system to the other cricketing nations, Shah further added, “In other countries, if a main player is given a break, he is assured he will not be dropped in case his replacement comes in and performs in a match or two.”
It is to be noted that the 21-year-old returned to competitive cricket at the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 after missing the Asia Cup, ODI World Cup and tours of Australia and New Zealand. Recalling his injury struggles, Shah revealed, “I had stiffness in my shoulder but after warm-ups it would get better and I played through it. But during the Asia Cup, I had a tear and felt something tearing inside me.”
