Pakistan speedster Shaheen Afridi exuded confidence in his fitness and that of his compatriots before taking the ball in the Champions Trophy opener against high-flying New Zealand on Wednesday in Karachi.

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Before embarking on the journey of defending their title, the Pakistan team was heavily criticised by fans and former cricketers on various spectrums. The players' form, the squad's composition and the selection of some players are to name a few.

Among these aspects, the fitness of the star-studded quicks, Shaheen, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf, has also been under the radar. Questions around the trio's athleticism sparked after Rauf's injury in Pakistan's first match of the ODI tri-nation series against New Zealand.

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After delivering his seventh over, Rauf walked off the field with a side strain. The injury to the fast bowler occurred in the 37th over of the first innings when he held his knee after delivering the second ball and subsequently walked off the field in discomfort. Rauf did not come out to bat during Pakistan's batting innings.

Shaheen brushed away the concerns and speculation about their fitness before taking the field on Wednesday against New Zealand in the tournament opener.

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"I try to live in the present rather than the past or future. I find myself in good form and feel like I'm fully fit. There are always niggles and some pain for a fast bowler, but the physios are very good these days and can get us ready quite quickly. Our other fast bowlers are also in good shape, which is nice because you have to bowl in partnerships as a bowling unit. In the last few series and leagues, I have felt my body working well, and I feel like I'm in rhythm," he said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

Apart from fitness, Shaheen's bowling speed has been closely observed, especially after his return from injury in 2022. After recovering from a knee injury in 2022, Shaheen's speed has almost become a national obsession.

The young left-armer who used to test the speed gun with his scorching pace now usually clicks somewhere between 135 to 140 kph. Shaheen dismissed the talks about his speed by asserting he didn't feel that his pace had dropped.

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"People take a lot of interest in my speeds. But aside from the 2021 T20 World Cup, if you look at my bowling, I bowl between 135-137kph in the first over. But people notice it now and think my pace is down. But I've never felt my pace is down in a way that it is stopping me from getting wickets. The body is a bit like a machine and can break down. Sometimes you get fatigued, and you can't show it because you have to do what the team requires of you," he added.

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