Afghanistan captain Naib calls for quality pacers

After losing eight group-stage matches in World Cup 2019, Naib feels an addition of a good fast bowler will complement the star spinners in the side.

Published : Jul 03, 2019 22:45 IST , Leeds

Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib celebrates a wicket against Bangladesh in the World Cup 2019 fixture in Southampton.
Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib celebrates a wicket against Bangladesh in the World Cup 2019 fixture in Southampton.
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Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib celebrates a wicket against Bangladesh in the World Cup 2019 fixture in Southampton.

Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib admits his team would benefit from the emergence of a top-class pace bowler to supplement their quality spin attack.

Naib's side, who have lost all eight of their group-stage matches, will play their last game at this year's World Cup when they face West Indies in Leeds on Thursday.

Although Afghanistan spinners Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman are potential match-winners, Naib knows the team needs a sharper pace attack to trouble the world's best teams.

“If you look over the last two or three years, we're just depending on spinners, especially when Mujeeb joined the team,” Naib said.

“We have two spinners in Rashid and Mujeeb. We didn't find the fast bowlers' department. We all worked on the spinners, so that's why we have world-class spinners. This is a problem,” he said.

Naib has not given up hope on the talent scouts in his country. “If you find two, three, good fast bowlers, maybe it will be good for us here in the World Cup,” he said.

“Hopefully in the future we can find a good fast bowler. And I'm hoping I'll be working on it.”

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