"Calm waters don't make skilled sailors" - Aakash Chopra on Pakistan pacers excelling on flat pitches

Aakash Chopra has questioned whether Pakistan have the best seam attack in world cricket considering they have excelled on flat surfaces at home.

Pakistan bowled out Bangladesh for 193 in their Asia Cup 2023 clash in Lahore on Wednesday, September 6. Babar Azam and Co. then chased down the below-par target with seven wickets and 63 deliveries to spare to start the Super Four stage on a winning note.

While reflecting on Pakistan's win in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra was full of praise for their seam-bowling department. He said:

"You are getting a voice from within that isn't this team's fast bowling different? I won't say the entire bowling department but fast bowling is amazing. Do they have the best fast bowling department?"

The former Indian opener added:

"If we especially see the Lahore pitch, it is absolutely flat, the ball comes nicely onto the bat. There is a saying in English - calm waters don't make skilled sailors. If you have to make someone a brilliant bowler, play them on flat pitches."

Chopra highlighted that the seamers become the best in the world when they flourish under such conditions as they need to put in their utmost effort. He added that the Pakistan pacers push themselves, keep topping up their skills and find ways to stay relevant.

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"Shaheen Shah Afridi is fast gaining a reputation whether he is the world's best bowler in white-ball cricket" - Aakash Chopra

Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Litton Das in Wednesday's game. [P/C: AP]

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Shaheen Shah Afridi is among the world's best limited-overs bowlers currently. He reasoned:

"Shaheen Shah Afridi is fast gaining a reputation whether he is the world's best bowler in white-ball cricket or not. There is no doubt that among all bowlers who are playing cricket currently, no one bowls a more dangerous first over than this bowler because he pitches the ball right up, gets it to swing, and has bounce and courage as well."

The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons Haris Rauf isn't too far behind the left-arm pacer. He explained:

"Haris Rauf is equally good. He has deceptive pace and bounce although he bowls from a little further back. His pace might increase by a yard or two if he bowls from slightly further up but his ball travels. You feel it will come slow but it goes and hits near the bat's handle."

Chopra added that Naseem Shah's upright seam position makes him a potent threat. He elaborated:

"Naseem Shah is brilliant. Naseem's story is that his hand is so straight, it is absolutely zero seam, which means the seam is absolutely straight. If the seam is slightly left or right, it aids the swing, but if the ball goes with an absolutely straight seam, just like it does for Mohammad Shami, it swings less and there are more cutters, but he also bowls close to 150 kph."

However, Chopra highlighted that Faheem Ashraf is not in the same league as the other three pacers. He added that Shadab Khan, although he did pick up four wickets against Nepal, has not been at his penetrative best lately.