Wasim Akram: “The problem with the rest issue, I think he should be asked if he even needs rest”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Pakistan great Wasim Akram said fellow left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi should be asked if he even needs rest.
This comes on the back of concerns about Afridi’s workload and whether he is at risk of succumbing to burnout or injuries.
However, Wasim feels the 21-year-old shouldn’t be forced to skip games in order to rest and recuperate.
He added that even though other countries like Australia have a rotation policy in place, it doesn’t mean that Pakistan have to do the same.
“The problem with the rest issue, I think he should be asked if he even needs rest. We can’t just copy the world that look Australia is resting its players so we should as well. Our culture is very different. Our mindset is very different,” he told Cricket Pakistan.
In the series against South Africa, Afridi took six wickets in the three ODIs at an average of 32.33.
As for the T20 series, he claimed three wickets in four matches at an average of 44.33 and an economy rate of 8.86.
Afridi was rested for the entire three-match T20 series against Zimbabwe, but played in the two-Test series that followed, where he picked up 10 wickets at an average of 16.40.
He will now represent the Lahore Qalandars when the Pakistan Super League (PSL) resumes in Abu Dhabi from June 9 to 24.
Prior to the tournament’s postponement earlier this year, Afridi was the joint second-highest wicket-taker with nine wickets in four matches at an average of 12.55 and an economy rate of 7.06.
The Qalandars currently sit in fourth place on the standings with three wins from four matches and will be back in action on June 9 when they take on Islamabad United.