Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has expressed serious concerns over the national team’s bowling attack ahead of the Asia Cup, warning that weaknesses in death bowling could cost the Green Shirts heavily in the high-profile tournament.
Speaking on his official YouTube channel on Sunday, Raja emphasized that Pakistan must sharpen its bowling strategies to survive on the batting-friendly surfaces expected during the Asia Cup.
“Pakistan’s death bowling needs to improve, especially with the Asia Cup coming up.
Top teams, on good batting surfaces, will not let this kind of bowling go unpunished.
Pakistan needs to develop more strategies in this area,” Raja remarked.
Turning his attention to young wrist-spinner Sufiyan Muqeem, Raja offered constructive advice, urging him to add more variety to his arsenal.
He noted that while Muqeem has been trusted with crucial final overs, he risks becoming predictable without variations.
“Sufiyan Muqeem is a wrist-spinner who is often given the final overs.
His length and line are fine, but he must improve his spin. He should use more googlies and chinaman deliveries instead of bowling the same way repeatedly,” Raja explained.
The ex-captain also extended praise to UAE’s middle-order batsman Asif Khan, who has impressed with his big-hitting ability in international cricket.
Raja recalled that despite his domestic career in Pakistan, Asif never received the recognition he deserved before moving to the UAE cricket.
“Asif Khan has shown how big a hitter he is. He used to play domestic cricket in Pakistan but never got recognition there. Now, representing the UAE, he is proving his worth with some outstanding innings in ODIs. He is a highly talented player,” said Raja.