Ace Pakistan speedster Shaheen Afridi will not be playing in this year’s Hundred after expressing his desire to spend more time with his family. He is reportedly in talks with Canada’s Global T20. Schedules of The Hundred and the Global T20 are set to clash this year. It goes without saying that Afridi’s absence in the Hundred is a huge blow to the tournament’s standing.
Afridi played in the Hundred for the first time last year, taking six wickets in as many matches for Welsh Fire. He was retained by mutual agreement on a contract worth £100,000 – the second-highest salary band in the league – for the impending season but has now pulled out of his deal. The ECB confirmed his withdrawal on Monday, June 3.
“I’m sad to miss out on playing for Welsh Fire this year. I enjoyed the Hundred a lot last season, and I was excited about being back in Cardiff. I wish Mike [Hussey, Welsh Fire’s coach] and the team the best of luck for 2024,” Afridi was saying in a press release as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
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Notably, the left-arm quick has expressed his reluctance to spend four weeks away from his family. The Hundred gets underway on July 23 and concludes on August 18, with players expected to report a few days before their first match.
Pakistan players are only permitted two No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to play in foreign leagues each season, as per the terms of their central contracts with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Afridi has already signed a long-term deal with the Desert Vipers in UAE’s ILT20.
Instead of using his second NOC on the tournament, Afridi is considering playing in the Global T20, a privately-run league in Canada, scheduled for its fourth edition this year. The league’s organisers are yet to announce the fixtures, but it is expected to run from July 25 until August 11 – a slightly shorter window than The Hundred.
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New Zealand seamer Matt Henry has been roped in as Afridi’s replacement at Welsh Fire in the English tournament. However, he could be unavailable for the start of the tournament if the San Francisco Unicorns, his MLC franchise, reach the play-offs. Around half of the men’s overseas cricketers contracted for the Hundred are in a similar situation.
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