“He’s so short, I can’t believe”: Alex Ross fails to understand how 5’8″ Fazalhaq Farooqi generates express pace

Canberra’s Manuka Oval is hosting the Big Bash League 2022-23 opening game between Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars. There has been a couple of debutants in both teams where Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rille Rossouw are making their Sydney Thunder debut, whereas Trent Boult and Luke Wood are making their debuts for the Stars.

Melbourne Stars are without Glenn Maxwell, and Joe Burns also got injured in between. The batting of the side failed completely, and the team managed to score just 122-8 in the first innings. None of the batters of the side could score big runs in this match.

Sydney Thunder’s bowlers were at their best, where the likes of Daniel Sams, Chris Green, Fazalhaq Farooqi, etc bowled some great spells. However, the start of Sydney Thunder’s batting also did not go as per plan.

Alex Ross surprised with Fazalhaq Farooqi’s express pace

Fazalhaq Farooqi’s spell in his first BBL match was dream stuff, where he managed to scalp a couple of wickets by conceding just 20 runs in 4 overs. He surprised everyone with his pace and his delivery to remove Hilton Cartwright was an excellent one, and it clicked over 140 km/h.

Talking about Cartwright’s dismissal, Ross was surprised that how Farooqi generates so much pace despite such a small height. Apart from Cartwright, Farooqi also took the wicket of Nick Larkin and Ross completed the catch on his delivery.

“He’s so short, I can’t believe someone can widen up that much and just get it straight through it. He has beaten him for pace no doubt,” Alex Ross said on Hilton Cartwright’s dismissal on Fazalhaq Farooqi’s dismissal.

Farooqi was a part of Afghanistan’s T20 World Cup squad as well, where he scalped 3 wickets at a brilliant economy of 6.52. The left-arm pacer is highly rated, and he can be a top player in the future.