Who said what - top 3 expert reactions to Shaheen Afridi being dropped from Pakistan squad for 2nd 2024 Test vs Bangladesh ft. Ahmed Shehzad
The Pakistan cricket team left out senior left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi for the second Test of the two-match series against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. While naming a 12-member squad on the eve of the Test match, Pakistan confirmed that Afridi would not be part of the game, while including legspinner Abrar Ahmed and fast bowler Mir Hamza in the 12.
Afridi's Test form has been a concern for a while now and constant injury issues haven't helped the bowler's cause. The 24-year-old had a below-par tour of Australia, during which he claimed eight wickets in four innings at an average of 41.62. The pacer also looked out of rhythm in the first Test against Bangladesh, registering figures of 2-88 from 30 overs in the first innings.
Explaining the decision to leave out Afridi from the Pakistan team for the second Test against Bangladesh, head coach Jason Gillespie said ahead of the match (as quoted by ESPNcricinfo):
"We've had a good conversation with him, and he fully understands and appreciates the thinking behind it. He's working on some things with his bowling to be as effective as he possibly can be. We want to see Shaheen at his best because we've got a lot of cricket in all formats and Shaheen's going to play a really big role in that."
In the wake of Pakistan leaving out Afridi for the second Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, we take a look at three expert reactions to the decision.
#1 "The first surgery has been done, with Shaheen Afridi being dropped" - Basit Ali
Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali described the decision to drop Afridi for the second Test against Bangladesh as a 'major surgery'.
Basit's remarks were made in the context of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi's recent statement that big surgery is on the cards for the struggling Pakistan team. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit said:
"The first surgery has been done, with Shaheen Afridi being dropped. Removing Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq was a minor surgery. However, this is a major surgery.
"People have been speculating that Shaheen Afridi was dropped because he removed Shan Masood's hand from his shoulder. However, that's not the reason," he added.
According to Basit, Pakistan's decision to drop Afridi from the Test team is a wake-up call for skipper Shan Masood as well. Basit reckons that Masood will lose his captaincy if Pakistan fails to win the second Test against Bangladesh.
#2 "What's the performance of Babar Azam in the last 14 innings in Tests?" - Ahmed Shehzad
Out-of-favor Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad questioned Afridi's exclusion from the team for the second Test against Bangladesh. He asked whether the fast bowler alone is responsible for Pakistan's defeat in recent times and also questioned the contributions of other seniors, including Babar Azam. Speaking in a video posted on his X handle, Shehzad said:
"You first lost to Zimbabwe, then lost to Ireland, lost to USA, lost to India, now you have lost to Bangladesh as well. Is Shaheen Afridi only responsible for all those defeats? No, he is not solely responsible. All should be questioned who were involved in those defeats. What's the performance of Babar Azam in the last 14 innings in Tests?"
Stating that holding Afridi alone responsible for all defeats is wrong, he added:
"Look at his performances, there is a problem in his attitude, you dropped him, that's fine. But what about others? What about their performances? What is the performance of Abdullah Shafique in the last 8 matches? You have brought in Saim Ayub back after 25 matches, what's his performance?"
Afridi, 24, has featured in 30 Test matches so far and has claimed 115 wickets at an average of 27.08, with four five-fers and one 10-wicket match haul.
#3 "For some time, he has not been the same bowler" - Salman Butt
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has backed the decision to drop Afridi for the second Test against Bangladesh. According to Butt, the left-arm seamer has not been the same bowler since returning from injury and needs to work on his game. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former opener said:
"I think it is the right move, nothing drastic. It was on the cards. For some time, he has not been the same bowler, especially since his injury. Since he has come back, he has not been what he used to be."
Elaborating on what he feels is going wrong with Afridi, Butt stated that he has not been able to counter his frustration over not getting wickets. He commented:
"He has been impatient since the start. Earlier, he used to get wickets early on. As a batter or bowler, when you score runs or get wickets, you remain calm. But the test of your patience is how you counter frustration - when you are not getting wickets and when you are not able to bowl the desired line and length. In that case, I think he has lost it."
Meanwhile, the opening day of the second Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Friday, August 30, was completely washed out due to rain.