Pakistan pacers lead bowling chart ahead of 2023 World Cup

The Pakistan pace trio consisting of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah proved to be a formidable force that Afghanistan couldn’t contend with. They efficiently dismissed the Afghan team for a mere 59 runs, securing a convincing 142-run victory in the inaugural ODI held in Hambantota on Tuesday.

Haris Rauf’s performance was particularly exceptional, as he achieved his first five-wicket haul in One Day International (ODI) cricket, boasting his personal best figures of 5/18 in international matches. This feat also marked the most impressive figures by a Pakistani bowler against Afghanistan, and furthermore, the finest figures by any bowler facing Afghanistan post their attainment of Full Member status.

In ODIs, Pakistan’s fast bowling contingent has displayed an outstanding average of 27.00 since the conclusion of the 2019 ICC World Cup. This exceptional statistic ranks them at the top among the ten participating teams in the upcoming 2023 World Cup to be held in India later this year.

Pakistan’s fast bowling average in ODIs since the WC 2019 is 27.00, the best among the 10 teams who will be playing World Cup this year.

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) August 22, 2023

Conversely, when evaluating their spin attack, Pakistan’s performance lags behind, placing them in the tenth position. Their bowling average has exceeded 40 since the conclusion of the 2019 World Cup.

Don’t underestimate Afghanistan’s spin arsenal 🔥

Follow live: https://t.co/y5RObHGWXH#AFGvPAK #PakvsAfg pic.twitter.com/fJa2wYw5YO

— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) August 22, 2023