Shaheen Afridi called back from England vacation for squad selection; later discarded

The futures of Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan in Pakistan’s national cricket team have come under serious doubt. Shaheen, Babar, and Rizwan were once core members of the team, but there is speculation over whether their international careers are nearing a crossroads.

Babar, Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi were instrumental in guiding Pakistan to back-to-back T20 World Cup knockout appearances in 2021 and 2022. However, all three have been sidelined in T20Is. They were left out of the Men in Green squad that secured a 3-0 series win over Bangladesh on home soil last month.

Shaheen Afridi Called Back From England Vacation For Squad Selection

Shaheen Afridi was reportedly asked to return from a family vacation in England for potential squad selection, but was later dropped without formal communication. According to Cricket Pakistan, the pacer only found out about his exclusion through social media.

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While some media reports hinted at disciplinary reasons for his omission, a senior PCB official dismissed those claims, stating that the decision was purely based on cricketing merit. The official also clarified that if discipline were an issue, Shaheen Afridi wouldn't have been invited to the training camp.

"If there were disciplinary issues, he wouldn’t have been invited to the training camp either,” the official added.

Shaheen Afridi Last Played a T20I for Pakistan in March

Following his exclusion from the recent T20I series against Bangladesh at home, the left-arm pacer has also been left out of the squad for the return leg of the tour. Selector Aaqib Javed pointed out that Shaheen Afridi needs to address technical issues.

Shaheen had an impressive run in the PSL, where he captained Lahore Qalandars to the title and finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 19 wickets. Notably, Aaqib had previously worked with Shaheen at the same franchise, but their professional relationship is reportedly strained now.

The 25-year-old last featured in a T20I for Pakistan in March. He has taken 102 wickets in 70 matches at an average of 22.12 and an economy rate of 7.90.

Mike Hesson Rules Out T20I Return for Babar and Rizwan

Head coach Mike Hesson has ruled out T20I comebacks for Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, stating that both players need to adapt their approach to the format and show greater intent if they hope to be reconsidered.

While Babar and Rizwan are currently not part of the T20I setup, they could still be in contention for selection in the ODI squad. Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi remains in the frame for the upcoming West Indies tour.

Shadab Khan is currently recovering from surgery, and the PCB is in discussions to convert the scheduled ODIs against the West Indies into T20Is. If that happens, Babar and Rizwan’s return to international cricket may be delayed even further.

In a recent media interaction, Hesson confirmed that Shaheen needs to improve his performance and dismissed social media-fueled rumors claiming he had asked Babar to take up wicketkeeping duties to return to the team.

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