Ricky Ponting criticises Pakistan's bowling attack in Australia, calls it 'the worst he has seen'

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on Saturday called Pakistan’s bowling attack the worst he has seen Down Under, and questioned why Naseem Shah was dropped for Musa Khan, whom he said “is not a Test match bowler”.

The touring party’s battery of young pacers had attracted enviable glances until the Test series began, with the hosts completely dominating their rookie opponents.

With captain Azhar Ali and co needing a miracle to avoid another innings defeat, Ponting offered a scathing assessment of the tourists’ bowling attack.

“They (Pakistan’s bowlers) have been poor ... their bowling attack is terrible really for a Test attack,” Ponting is quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.

“I’m not sure I have seen a worse bowling attack on our shores in a long time.”

Ponting was at a loss to understand why the team management preferred the format misfit Musa over Naseem, who even at 16 was readier for Test cricket as he showed in his debut Test.

“I still can’t understand why the 16-year-old hasn’t played this game, Naseem,” Ponting said. “And they go with another guy (Musa) who has played seven first-class games and just doesn’t look to be a Test match bowler.

“They haven’t got much cattle. And when you haven’t got much cattle against a batting line-up as hungry as ours, and in our conditions, and a team that is really trying to prove themselves back on the world stage, then I think Pakistan have just been caught in a perfect storm.”