Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali has raised doubts about Pakistan’s highly-rated fast-bowling attack, questioning whether Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Naseem Shah truly rank among the best in the game today. His comments follow Pakistan’s disappointing exit from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where they failed to progress beyond the group stage.
Speaking on a podcast alongside Adil Rashid, Moeen addressed the belief held by many that Pakistan boasts the finest pace unit in world cricket.
“There’s this perception, especially among people with Pakistani backgrounds, that Pakistan has the best seamers. I’m like, no. They’re good, but they’re not the best,” Moeen said.
He further elaborated on his stance, stating, “Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf are good. Don’t take me wrong. I am not calling them bad, but they are not the best in the business at the moment. Pakistan have this thing where they do produce very good fast bowlers. Again, it’s something in their coaching system where they coach Pakistanis unbelievably well.”
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Pakistan’s campaign in the Champions Trophy 2025 ended in disappointment, as they finished at the bottom of Group A. They lost to New Zealand at home and suffered a defeat against India in Dubai, while their match against Bangladesh was washed out due to rain.
The performances of their pacers did little to justify their reputation. Shaheen Afridi had a tough outing against New Zealand, conceding 68 runs in 10 overs without taking a wicket. Against India, he picked up two wickets but leaked 74 runs in just eight overs.
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Naseem Shah also struggled, conceding 63 runs for two wickets against New Zealand. He remained wicketless against India, giving away 37 runs in eight overs. Haris Rauf had an equally difficult time, going for 83 runs in his full quota against New Zealand while picking up two wickets. Against India, he conceded 52 runs in seven overs without taking a wicket.
As Pakistan looks to recover from their poor showing, they will travel to New Zealand for a five-match T20I series followed by three ODIs, starting March 16. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf have been named in the T20I squad, while Naseem Shah will feature in the ODI series.
