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In this exclusive interview, former Pakistan all-rounder and ECB Level 4 qualified coach Yasir Arafat previews the ongoing Test series against South Africa. He analyzes the pitch conditions in Lahore and Rawalpindi, assesses the prospects for Pakistan's batters and bowlers, and reflects on the deeper structural flaws and lack of preparation that are hurting Pakistan's red-ball cricket — and much more.
Key revelations include:
Series Prospects & Pitches: An analytical look at the conditions in Lahore and Rawalpindi and how they might play - While Pakistan will attempt to use its home advantage by preparing pitches to assist spin, Arafat cautioned that the level of assistance will likely be less than what was available in Multan
PCB's Test Cricket Stance: "It depends on how serious your cricket board is for test cricket, for red ball" - Arafat expressed disappointment with the two-match Test series format, noting that major cricket boards like England, Australia, and India typically host longer series of three to five matches.
Player Preparation Failure: "Babar Azam... did not play a single red ball match" - He heavily criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for prioritizing camps and smaller events instead of organizing three domestic First-Class matches for the top players before the Test series. A major concern is that most of Pakistan’s top players, including Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, have played no red-ball cricket since the series against the West Indies.
Struggle Against Spin: "They don't play domestic... and we don't have spinners of that quality" - Arafat singled out South African spinner Simon Harmer, who has nearly 1,000 First-Class wickets and vast experience in County cricket, noting that such a quality spinner could prove challenging for Pakistan's batters who already struggle against spin
Captaincy Pressure: "The big players deal with the pressure and perform" - Shan Masood is under "a lot of pressure" going into the series, as his batting average is a concerning 30 after 43 Test matches. As a senior player and new captain, Arafat stressed that Masood must perform with the bat and lead from the front to prove his critics wrong and solidify his position
The Free Ticket Problem: "Our problem is that... they have made free of cost tickets" - He suggested that the short format and the recent decision to offer free tickets for matches in Pakistan reflect a lack of commercial ambition and seriousness about Test cricket, unlike countries like India where tickets are sold out months in advance.
Watch full interview with Saj here:
Key revelations include:
Series Prospects & Pitches: An analytical look at the conditions in Lahore and Rawalpindi and how they might play - While Pakistan will attempt to use its home advantage by preparing pitches to assist spin, Arafat cautioned that the level of assistance will likely be less than what was available in Multan
PCB's Test Cricket Stance: "It depends on how serious your cricket board is for test cricket, for red ball" - Arafat expressed disappointment with the two-match Test series format, noting that major cricket boards like England, Australia, and India typically host longer series of three to five matches.
Player Preparation Failure: "Babar Azam... did not play a single red ball match" - He heavily criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for prioritizing camps and smaller events instead of organizing three domestic First-Class matches for the top players before the Test series. A major concern is that most of Pakistan’s top players, including Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi, have played no red-ball cricket since the series against the West Indies.
Struggle Against Spin: "They don't play domestic... and we don't have spinners of that quality" - Arafat singled out South African spinner Simon Harmer, who has nearly 1,000 First-Class wickets and vast experience in County cricket, noting that such a quality spinner could prove challenging for Pakistan's batters who already struggle against spin
Captaincy Pressure: "The big players deal with the pressure and perform" - Shan Masood is under "a lot of pressure" going into the series, as his batting average is a concerning 30 after 43 Test matches. As a senior player and new captain, Arafat stressed that Masood must perform with the bat and lead from the front to prove his critics wrong and solidify his position
The Free Ticket Problem: "Our problem is that... they have made free of cost tickets" - He suggested that the short format and the recent decision to offer free tickets for matches in Pakistan reflect a lack of commercial ambition and seriousness about Test cricket, unlike countries like India where tickets are sold out months in advance.
Watch full interview with Saj here:
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