AUS vs PAK: Shaheen Afridi Reacts After Being Benched In Sydney Test

Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi explained the reason behind his absence in the ongoing third and final Test against Australia. Shaheen Afridi stated that the team management and medical staff decided to manage his workload ahead of the New Zealand series.

Pakistan made a bold decision by resting Shaheen Afridi for the New Year’s Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The Pakistan team management picked off-spinner Sajid Khan in the playing XI, considering the spin-friendly conditions in Sydney.

A Lot Of Overs To Be Honest – Shaheen Afridi

In an interaction with the broadcasters during Lunch on Day 1 in Sydney, Shaheen Afridi expressed confidence in his capacity to secure additional wickets but expressed disappointment over missed fielding opportunities.

“I played two games, and a lot of overs to be honest. They’re just managing my workload, the medical team and team management decided to take a rest for this (Test),” Afridi said.

“I think that I can take more wickets, but unfortunately catches win matches, and unfortunately we missed those opportunities on the field most of the time. It has been a good tour so far and the last game that we played was quite awesome. As a bowling unit, and as a team, we gave our best, the result was not in our hands, but we tried,” he added.

Shaheen Afridi took two wickets in the series opener in Perth. However, the left-arm pacer showcased significant improvement by securing six wickets during the Boxing Day Test. He bowled more overs than any other bowler from both sides in the first two games.

We Will Come Back Soon – Shaheen Afridi

Pakistan faced an early setback, crumbling to 4-2 within the second over. By the end of the first session, the visiting team had reached a score of 75-4, with Shan Masood and Mohammad Rizwan at the crease. Babar Azam was dismissed for just 26 runs by Pat Cummins.

Despite the challenging start, Shaheen Afridi expressed optimism about the team staging a comeback with the bat in the first innings. Afridi noted that historical matches indicate an advantage for the team batting first.

“The wicket looks okay so far, and in the matches that have been played here before, it has favored the team batting first. They bowled in good areas this morning, and Saim Ayub our superstar, he is new, so these sort of things happen. But, we will come back soon. It was a tough first session, but Shan and Rizwan are still at the crease and we are hopeful that they will put together a huge partnership,” Afridi further added.

The visiting team lost nine wickets for 227 runs, with Pat Cummins claiming another five-wicket haul. However, young all-rounder Aamir Jamal displayed a fighting spirit, achieving a half-century that aided the team in surpassing the 300-run mark in their first innings.

Also read: AUS vs PAK: Harsha Bhogle Takes A Dig At Pakistan Cricket Team After They Leave Shaheen Afridi Out Of Their Playing 11 For Sydney Test