Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas has broken his silence regarding his exclusion from the national team, despite his commendable performances.
In a recent interview, Abbas revealed the lack of communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) when he was dropped in 2021, stating that only the chairman and captain had mentioned concerns about his bowling speed.
“I was told my speed had decreased,” Abbas recalled. “I responded that I had moved from Sialkot to Lahore specifically to train at the National Cricket Academy. I have maintained my discipline and have never exceeded a pace of 140 km/h. I’ve always been a seam bowler, and my bowling pace hasn’t slowed down.”
The 34-year-old cricketer emphasized that after receiving those calls, it seemed someone had developed a plan that excluded him from training and practice sessions with the team.
Despite not having played Test cricket for three years, Abbas proudly stated he remains second in terms of bowling average among Pakistani Test bowlers and holds the record for the fastest to reach 50 wickets in Pakistan’s Test history.
Reflecting on his injury struggles, Abbas noted that the bowling unit changed significantly during that time, with several players leaving or getting injured. “Unfortunately, I continued to play despite my shoulder injury, which impacted my performance,” he admitted.
