Matthew Hayden issues clarification after backlash over 130kph IPL comments
Matthew Hayden has clarified comments made in the aftermath of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup victory over India, in which he appeared to suggest that there were a lack of express pace bowlers on show at IPL 2021.
The victory, Pakistan’s first over India in any World Cup, was built on the back of a sensational opening burst from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who dismissed both Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul with the new ball. Hayden, who is currently acting as Pakistan’s batting consultant, suggested it was Shaheen’s extra pace that made the difference.
“They had been facing 130kph deliveries for the last month during the IPL. It’s a different cup of tea when you are facing someone running and bowling at Shaheen Shah Afridi’s pace,” Hayden told Fox Cricket. “They were the best two balls that I’ve seen in five weeks. A fast in-swinging yorker and the courage that it takes to bowl that delivery against Rohit Sharma with the new ball is admirable.
“I don’t think I have not seen the ball hitting Rahul’s middle of the bat in five weeks and then he gets that delivery. That was like the two punch combination that sent India on the backfoot in the powerplay.”
India fans took umbrage with Hayden’s suggestion that there were no bowlers as quick as Shaheen on show at the IPL, where the former Australia opener was a commentator. An Instagram post by Indian outlet CricTracker, which highlighted Hayden’s remarks, garnered hundreds of comments, with many noting the names of Anrich Nortje, Lockie Ferguson, Umran Malik and others, with that trio all clocked at over 150kph during the recently concluded tournament. Hayden replied to that post, stating that “most IPL teams do have a genuine speeders [sic]”, and clarifying the distance between those quicks and Shaheen.
“Nortje, Ferguson, [Mohammed] Siraj, Avesh [Khan],” he wrote. “Most IPL teams do have a genuine speeders. Pace is one weapon for sure, the other is swing and Afridi has both. It’s exciting to watch this type of bowling and sadly you don’t see it too often in the modern game.”
“The point is,” he continued, “swing no matter what pace is dangerous and we don’t see it often.”
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