Shahid Afridi: “I am not saying drop Rizwan altogether from Tests, but he can be rested”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former interim Pakistan chief selector Shahid Afridi believes wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan should be rested for a short period of time in Test cricket.
This comes after the two-Test series against New Zealand, where Rizwan was sidelined and former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed took his spot in the playing XI.
Sarfaraz didn’t disappoint as he amassed 335 runs, which included a century and three fifties, at an average of 83.75.
Given how well the 35-year-old did, Afridi feels that he is the perfect replacement for Rizwan for the time being.
“I am not saying drop Rizwan altogether from Tests, but he can be rested,” the renowned big-hitter said on Samaa TV as quoted by NDTV.
Both Rizwan and Sarfaraz are now playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), with the former captaining the Multan Sultans and the latter leading the Quetta Gladiators.
In the six matches he has played, Rizwan has scored 358 runs, which includes a century and three fifties, at an average of 89.50 and a strike-rate of 141.50.
As for Sarfaraz, he has amassed 130 runs in six games at an average of 32.50 and a strike-rate of 103.17.
The Sultans’ next fixture will be against the Lahore Qalandars on Saturday, while the Gladiators will be back in action on Sunday when they take on Islamabad United.
Quetta Gladiators Squad for PSL 8:Â Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Jason Roy, Mohammad Hasnain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Naveen ul Haq, Umar Akmal, Will Smeed, Naseem Shah, Odean Smith, Mohammad Hafeez, Umaid Asif, Muhammad Zahid, Abdul Bangalzai, Aimal Khan, Martin Guptill, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qais Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Dwaine Pretorius (partial replacement for Odean Smith), Will Jacks (partial replacement for Jason Roy), Nuwan Thushara (partial replacement for Naveen ul Haq)
Multan Sultans Squad for PSL 8:Â Mohammad Rizwan, Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw, Shan Masood, Tim David, Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah, David Miller, Josh Little, Akeal Hosein, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Sameen Gul, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Sarwar, Arafat Minhas, Kieron Pollard, Ammad Butt, Izharulhaq Naveed (partial replacement for David Miller), Mohammad Ilyas (replacement for Shahnawaz Dahani), Carlos Brathwaite (replaced Wayne Parnell)