Aaqib Javed: “Shaheen is only 21 right now but the PCB has to manage these players once they grow a little older”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Lahore Qalandars coach Aaqib Javed has called for the workload of Pakistan pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi to be managed properly as he gets older.
Afridi leads Pakistan’s bowling unit in all three formats and has established himself as one of the world’s elite fast bowlers despite only being 21.
Nonetheless, Aaqib said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has to keep a close eye on him and give him enough time off to ensure he keeps performing at the highest level.
In the three-Test series against Australia, Afridi took nine wickets at an average of 36.44.
“The players now are much different; be it mentally or physically. Shaheen is only 21 right now but the PCB has to manage these players once they grow a little older,” Aaqib told Cricket Pakistan.
Afridi is now featuring in the limited overs series against Australia and missed the first ODI.
However, he returned in the second game and took four wickets as Pakistan triumphed by six wickets to level the series at 1-1.
The third ODI will be held on Saturday, which will be followed by the one-off T20 International on Tuesday.
Pakistan’s ODI squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafique, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir
Pakistan’s T20I squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Asif Afridi, Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir
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