Courtney Walsh hails Shaheen Afridi as ‘complete’ modern-day pacer

KARACHI: The legacy of Pakistan’s fast bowling continues to command global respect, and few understand the craft better than West Indies legend Courtney Walsh. From the greats of the past to the rising stars of today, Walsh believes Pakistan’s production line of fast bowlers remains as potent as ever, with Shaheen Afridi standing out as a complete modern-day pacer.

Speaking to a private TV channel, during the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11, where he is part of the Rawalpindiz setup as coach, Walsh pointed to conditions and skill development as the foundation of Pakistan’s fast-bowling success across generations.

“I think the conditions here,” he said when asked what makes Pakistani pacers different from the rest of the world. “You have to have good skill sets, and you’ve got quality bowlers here from over the years. I mean, you go back, way back, went from Sarfraz up till now, Wasim, Waqar, those guys. All those guys have been good fast bowlers for Pakistan, and the youngsters have come on, and they’ve learned their trade as well,” he added.

At the heart of the current pace attack, Walsh sees Afridi as a symbol of discipline and consistency, qualities he believes define great fast bowlers. “Shaheen is someone who I’ve always admired, the way he conducts himself, the way he plays, he’s never given that attitude and just his own skill set and the pride that he plays when he plays for Pakistan and even in franchise cricket. And that’s what you want to see in fast bowlers, and he has all those qualities.”

He also acknowledged the depth in Pakistan’s pace resources, naming Naseem Shah and Mohammad Wasim Jr. among those carrying the tradition forward.

“As you mentioned, Naseem and those guys, yes, they’re up there with it, and the quality is always going to be there. But I’ve always singled him (Shaheen) out for the way he executes, the way he goes about his job, keeping it simple and just trying to do the basics consistently.” While Walsh’s words reflect admiration for Pakistan’s pace culture, his current role in franchise cricket has given him a different perspective on the modern game. Working within the fast-paced environment of the PSL, he highlighted the challenges of coaching in a format where preparation time is minimal.

Despite not-so-encouraging results for his side, Walsh described his experience in the league as positive, underlining the competitive environment and team spirit.

“It’s been very good, very happy to be here. It’s the first time I’ve been involved with the Pindiz team as well. So, very good. The results might not be showing that at the moment, but it’s good, the guys are looking after us. And we’re just trying to put some games together where we can do well. But apart from that, everything, the atmosphere and everything has been good.”

“Yeah, Raza, who hasn’t played a game as yet. He’s got pace, just needs to work on his control, but he’s got good raw pace and good action. And I think in time he might get the game, hopefully before the series is over. But I’m expecting big things from him once they can look after him and keep him going. But he’s got good ability.”

Away from the game, the PSL has also provided Walsh an opportunity to reconnect with former rivals and friends, a reminder of cricket’s enduring bonds.

“Yes, my desire is to meet some of them. I’ve got Inzamam in my set-up, I saw Latif when he came over. Moin is a coach with one of the teams, so I bumped into him as well. Basit Ali sent a message, Ramiz Raja doing a bit of commentary. So you’ve seen some of the guys that you’ve played against, but it’ll be nice to be able to move around and catch up with some of these guys.” Monitoring Desk