“It’s a mediocre bowling lineup” - Former India wicketkeeper’s blunt take on Pakistan after IND vs PAK 2025 Champions Trophy match

Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel has said Pakistan's 'mediocre' bowling lineup did not stand a chance against the Men in Blue in the 2025 Champions Trophy 2025 Group A encounter. Team India comfortably chased down the 242-run target at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, February 23, to set one foot in the semi-finals.

Pakistan's bowling unit, comprising the pace trio of Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf, along with frontline spinner Abrar Ahmed, did not trouble the formidable Indian batting unit much. The Men in Green also struggled to complete the bowling attack with their fifth bowler, as part-time spinners Salman Ali Agha and Khushdil Shah failed to make an impact.

The lackluster bowling unit had recently conceded 320 runs against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy 2025 opener in Karachi. The unchanged lineup had only a couple of notable moments against India. Opening batters Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill lost their wickets against arguably unplayable deliveries, but apart from that, the bowlers could not produce anything significant to defend the total.

Parthiv Patel opined that despite the big names in Pakistan's bowling unit, the performances have not been coming for quite a while.

"Let's accept it. It's a mediocre bowling line-up. I know we are trying to defend and be respectful to Pakistan, but it is a mediocre bowling unit. Whether you look at Shaheen Shah Afridi, you look at Haris Rauf, you look at Naseem Shah, there is only Abrar who has been bowling decently," Parthiv Patel said on Cricbuzz.

"If you are saying that Khushdil Shah will give you 10 overs in a One-Day game, that will obviously be a mistake. And when you are expecting Salman Ali Agha to give you that support, that suggests to me that Pakistan does not have those bowlers," he added.

Khushdil Shah had chipped in with seven overs in the match against New Zealand. The part-time left-handed spinner bowled 7.3 overs against India, claiming Shreyas Iyer's wicket, but conceded 43 runs at an economy of 5.73, and was unable to put pressure in the middle overs.

"These guys are not consistent enough" - Parthiv Patel slams Pakistan pacers

The Pakistan bowling unit had played a huge role in the team's recent series wins over Australia and South Africa away from home. However, they have struggled in the subcontinent, beginning with the tri-series involving South Africa and New Zealand.

Parthiv Patel spoke about the inconsistency of the seamers, particularly Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf, who conceded a combined 126 runs in their 15 overs against India.

"We are talking about a country like Pakistan which does not have a spinner in the playing XI. I mean, the Pakistan team that we used to see or we've grown up seeing had a completely different bowling line up than what we are seeing here," Patel noted in the same discussion.

"You are expecting Shaheen Shah Afridi to produce the magic in the big game, he then gives away 74 runs in 8 overs. It's not a question about skill, it is about performing time and again. These guys are not consistent enough. You talk about Haris Rauf being hot and cold, but he is more cold than hot. That's the harsh reality. First, accept the problem, and then look to address it. I don't think they are accepting it right now," he elaborated.

Pakistan are more or less eliminated from the tournament following successive defeats in the group stages. They will next face Bangladesh on Thursday, February 27, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.