Basit Ali makes a sensational revelation on Shaheen Afridi's exclusion from 2nd Test

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali opened up about Shaheen Afridi's exclusion from the playing XI for the second Test against Bangladesh.

Basit Ali described the decision to drop Shaheen Afridi as the first major surgery following the shocking group stage exit during the T20 World Cup 2024.

Afridi was not included in the Pakistan lineup for the must-win encounter against Bangladesh in the ongoing series.

The left-arm pacer had a disappointing outing in the first Test match, where he recorded bowling figures of 2/88 as Bangladesh scored a massive 565 runs in their first innings.

Other Pakistan bowlers could not trouble Bangladesh batters during the recent match in Rawalpindi. The visiting team recorded a 10-wicket victory to take a 1-0 lead in the Test series.

It is worth mentioning that it was Bangladesh's first victory over Pakistan in the longer format of the game.

The First Surgery Has Been Done - Basit Ali

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali said that previous changes in the team were minor. Ali emphasized that Afridi’s drop wasn't related to the incident with Shan Masood but was a crucial decision for the team.

"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," Ali said.

"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.

During the first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh, a video surfaced on social media showing Shaheen Afridi removing Shan Masood’s arm from his shoulder during a team huddle.

This incident sparked speculation among fans that all might not be well in the Men in Green camp.

Shaheen Afridi's Case Will Be A Wake-Up Call - Basit Ali

Basit Ali stated that Shaheen Afridi’s exclusion from the playing XI is a wake-up call for both the Pakistani players and captain Shan Masood.

The cricketer-turned-expert said that Masood could lose the captaincy if Pakistan does not win the second Test against Bangladesh.

"Shaheen Afridi's case will be a wake-up call for the Pakistani players. It is also a wake-up call for Shan Masood as well. Shan Masood won't remain the captain if Pakistan fails to level the series. The media and the fans won't keep quiet if you lose a series against Bangladesh," Ali further added.

Shan Masood became the first Pakistan captain to start his tenure with four consecutive losses in Test cricket.

The left-handed batter was named captain ahead of the series against the Australia team. They suffered a 0-3 humiliation in the Test series against Australia earlier this year.

Pakistan declared their first innings at 448/6. In response, Mushfiqur Rahim scored 191 as Bangladesh posted 565 runs.

The hosts were bowled out for 146 runs in their second innings, with Mohammad Rizwan (51) being the lone warrior. Bangladesh then chased the 30-run target on Day 5.

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