Pakistan has been a traditional powerhouse when it comes to bowling but 2023 proved to be a challenging year for Pakistani bowlers. They could not live up to the expectations of cricket fans across the globe who want to see an entertaining brand of bowling from Pakistan. However, in this article, we will take a look at Top 3 bowlers who tried to do their best for Pakistan in 2023 and will be expected to step up in 2024.
1. Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen Shan Afridi is the leader of the bowling attack and even though it was a disappointing year for Pakistan he was a bright spot among the chaos. He could not live up to the standards that he had set for himself but was impressive with numerous notable performances. Afridi picked up 62 wickets in 30 matches at an average of 27.80. The left-arm pacer would hope to go one notch up as he would be the relying figure for Pakistan in major events next year.
2. Naseem Shah
It was a huge setback for Pakistan when the young fast bowler Naseem Shah got ruled out for the ODI World Cup due to an injury as he was bowling really well prior to the injury. Naseem grew in stature in 2023 and became an important member of the Pakistan pace battery. He scalped 36 wickets this year in 17 matches at an exceptional average of 23.58 making him one of the most successful bowlers for Pakistan in 2023.
3. Haris Rauf
A very unlikely name in this list as Haris Rauf remained in the headlines for the wrong reasons. After a promising 2022 fans were expecting Rauf to become even more lethal but his inability to adapt to the longer formats caused him to struggle a lot, especially in the ODI World Cup where he was thrashed brutally. He added 51 wickets to his tally in 2023 but his economy of 6.23 became a major concern for Pakistan. Rauf would look to bounce back in 2024 with much more control and precision.