Shahid Afridi: “He has played cricket across the globe and has done well everywhere. He is a top choice for every franchise”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Interim Pakistan chief selector Shahid Afridi believes that veteran big-hitting all-rounder Shoaib Malik should have been picked for the 2022 T20 World Cup.
The men in green lost their first two games in the tournament to India and Zimbabwe, which left them teetering on the brink of elimination.
However, they won their next three games – against the Netherlands, South Africa and Bangladesh – before beating New Zealand in the semi-final.
Unfortunately, Pakistan were unable to go all the way as they were defeated by England in the final.
Afridi feels that the team could have used some experience and pointed out that Malik fits the bill perfectly as he has “done well everywhere” and is a top choice for many franchises in various T20 leagues around the world.
On top of that, the 40-year-old is still incredibly fit, he added.
“He has played cricket across the globe and has done well everywhere. He is a top choice for every franchise,” Afridi told Samaa News as quoted by Cricwick. “He is also supremely fit.”
Following the T20 World Cup, Pakistan faced England in a three-Test series and were comprehensively beaten 3-0.
They will now play two Tests and three ODIs against New Zealand, with the first Test starting on Monday in Karachi.
Pakistan Squad for New Zealand Test Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Agha Salman, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood and Zahid Mahmood
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