Shahid Afridi: “Babar Azam will lead the team in the middle and will be responsible for the team’s performance. Hence, his suggestions should hold more value during [the] squad selection”
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Legendary Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi said captain Babar Azam’s suggestions “should hold more value during [the] squad selection”.
This comes after Azam wanted spinner Yasir Shah included in the Test squad for the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe, but the selectors ignored him.
He also asked for batsman Haris Sohail to be in the ODI team, but once again, the selectors didn’t listen.
In fact, it was reported that Wasim told Azam that the squad selection was not his concern.
However, Afridi feels that Azam’s input should matter as he will be held responsible for the team’s performance.
“Babar Azam will lead the team in the middle and will be responsible for the team’s performance. Hence, his suggestions should hold more value during [the] squad selection,” Afridi was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
“There can be difference of opinion between the chief selector and captain, but such things should remain behind closed doors and not come out in the media.”
Meanwhile, Afridi also said that players who have done well in domestic cricket for a long period of time should be “given preference” and chosen ahead of those who have impressed in a handful of games.
“Experienced players should be given preference overs players who have just performed in one or two games. An experienced cricketer is more likely to succeed when given an opportunity at [the] international level,” he said.
Pakistan will play three ODIs and four T20 Internationals against South Africa before heading to Zimbabwe for two Tests and three T20 Internationals.
Pakistan will depart for South Africa on March 26 and the tour will commence on April 2 and conclude on April 16. The ODI series will be played first.
The men in green will then head to Zimbabwe on April 17, but the dates for the matches have yet to be confirmed.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) noted that the national team will travel back to Lahore from Bulawayo on May 12.
Pakistan’s Test Squad: Babar Azam (capt), Imran Butt, Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Tabish Khan, Hasan Ali, Shahnawaz Dhani, Nauman Ali, Zahid Mahmood, Sajid Khan.
Pakistan’s ODI Squad: Babar Azam (capt), Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Haider Ali, Danish Aziz, Saud Shakeel, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Usman Qadir, Hasan Ali.
Pakistan’s T20 Squad: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Haider Ali, Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Usman Qadir, Hasan Ali, Arshad Iqbal.