Shaheen Afridi. (Source -Twitter/X)
Ace pace-bowler of Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi, was dropped for the remainder of the Test series against England along with star batter Babar Azam and right-arm quick Naseem Shah, a couple of days ahead of the second Test in Multan. It was made official via the Pakistan Cricket Board through an offical notice disseminated by the governing body on their social media handles.
The move came with a diverse set of reactions from the Pakistan and global cricketing fraternity. While one side of the faction defended the decision more in the perspective that the players deserved a break to recover mentally, there was another standpoint that viewed dropping them would only mean their self-confidence going for a toss. However, Shaheen, at the very minimum, has not seemed to have taken his non-inclusion personally as he wished the side the best of luck ahead of their second Test in Multan.
Wishing Team Pakistan the best of luck! Rooting for a strong comeback. We’re all cheering for you! 🇵🇰 🙌👏#PakistanZindabad
— Shaheen Shah Afridi (@iShaheenAfridi) October 14, 2024
PCB justifies dropping the aforementioned players
In the latest development, there have been reports that the Pakistan Cricket Board has justified the non-inclusion of their seasoned campaigners, which has been reported as something they did bearing in mind “the greater good” of the side, as per Geo News. It is also assumed that they have made a change in their approach which would see a lot more youngsters getting opportunities going forward.
Also Read: Ben Stokes returns as England announce playing XI for second Test against Pakistan
With the second Test to be played on the same pitch at the same venue in Multan, it remains to be determined the manner in which Pakistan will approach the game when things get heated against a belligerent English side, which have been boosted by the return of full-time red-ball skipper, Ben Stokes.