Pakistan's cricket team is in a state of flux, with a new-look attack led by Mohammad Ali, Aamer Jamal, and Ubaid Shah. The team's recent struggles have led to a shake-up, with the return of Babar Azam as captain and a host of changes to the squad. The fast bowlers have been under scrutiny, with their lack of pace and control rendering them ineffective with both the new and old ball. Since the start of 2024, Pakistan's pacers have taken only 92 wickets, with an average of 35.53 and a strike rate of 58. This is the second-worst performance in this period, with Bangladesh and Afghanistan trailing behind. The selectors have taken drastic measures, replacing Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali with the three new bowlers. Mohammad Ali, known for his line-and-length bowling, has only six wickets in his brief four-match Test career, but brings experience from 66 first-class matches. He has been in good form recently, taking wickets across first-class and T20 competitions. Aamer Jamal, a fast-bowling allrounder, made his debut on Pakistan's tour of Australia in 2023-24, taking 18 wickets in three matches. However, a back injury ruled him out of the next Test assignment and he was more of a bystander when he returned against England. Ubaid Shah, the youngest brother of Naseem and Hunain Shah, has earned a place in the side due to his ability to hit 140kph regularly. He has 72 wickets at an average of 25.20 in 16 first-class matches and was the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the Under-19 World Cup in 2024. The team's new-look attack faces a challenging task, with the selectors hoping that these changes will halt the team's miserable slide and bring success back to Pakistan's cricket.
