Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi defended Pakistan’s approach to pitching following their 2-1 ODI series win over Australia, saying that as is common practice in international cricket, home conditions are usually designed to maximize advantage.
Speaking after Pakistan’s tense, low-scoring victory in the final ODI at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, Shaheen Shah Afridi addressed the debate over pitch preparation and endorsed the team management’s strategy of creating situations to suit their strengths while outlining Pakistan’s wider planning cycle ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
He stressed that modern international cricket requires long-term planning and adaptability, with teams around the world often preparing pitches to suit their own strengths.
Shaheen emphasized that Pakistan will continue to be exposed to different conditions through upcoming tours to improve versatility and preparedness for global events.
“The World Cup is 15 months away. Every team is preparing pitches that suit them when they play in their backyard to win,” Afridi said.
“We have Test series (coming up in West Indies and England) where some players will play and they can use them to prepare themselves (for the World Cup)… When we went to Australia under the leadership of (Mohammed) Rizwan, we played on green and boundary pitches and we won that series. We can’t give them green wickets when they come here because we have to win,” he added.
Afridi further explained that the challenging nature of the surfaces used in the series was deliberately designed to test the team’s adaptability under pressure.
“These are tough wickets, it’s not easy to score runs or spend time on them. We have time on our hands before the World Cup and we will build pitches with different characteristics,” he said.
The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia was largely dominated by debates over pitch conditions, with Pakistan opting to turn the tracks in Rawalpindi and Lahore to maximize home advantage against a lesser tour.
The tension in Lahore saw Pakistan clinch the series 2-1 after a low-scoring decider, but questions persist over how beneficial the series will be to their long-term preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
Afridi, who also contributed with the ball, highlighted the importance of consistency in selection and praised Pakistan’s bowling unit for adapting to the demanding conditions. He pointed to the value of giving extended opportunities, especially to emerging players.
“Few players took chances in this series,” Afridi said. “We played the same team throughout the series, which hasn’t happened in the last one year… It was good to see how Arafat Minhas bowled in all three matches and Abrar (Ahmad) bowled well today too.
The 26-year-old also addressed criticism of Shadab Khan’s consistent selection, saying the all-rounder’s performance justified his inclusion.
“But Shatab Khan’s performance was a huge plus. Everyone questioned why he kept getting chances. But I feel only mature players can win you such (close) matches in tough conditions. He bowled with control and took two wickets,” he concluded.
Pakistan now have a six-week break before their Test tour to the West Indies, followed by a series in England and a home assignment against Sri Lanka later in the year, with their next white-ball matches expected.