Wahab Riaz: “We wanted to manage Shaheen Afridi’s workload because he’s our main strike bowler and we need him completely fit for the World Cup”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan selection committee member Wahab Riaz said left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi needs to be “completely fit” for the 2024 T20 World Cup in June as he is the team’s “main strike bowler.”
Wahab alluded that this was the key reason why the 24-year-old was stripped of the T20I captaincy after only one series in charge.
Afridi led Pakistan in their five-match T20I series against New Zealand in January 2024, which the men in green lost 4-1.
Shortly after, Babar Azam replaced him as Pakistan’s limited overs captain.
There was a lot of confusion about the change in leadership since Afridi had not been given enough time to prove himself, but Wahab reiterated that the decision largely stemmed from ensuring the fast bowler’s workload was managed properly.
“We wanted to manage Shaheen Afridi’s workload because he’s our main strike bowler and we need him completely fit for the World Cup,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Afridi recently captained the Lahore Qalandars in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and took 14 wickets in nine matches at an average of 22.14 and an economy rate of 8.61.
He then featured in Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which ended as a 2-2 draw, and took eight wickets in four games at an average of 10 and an economy rate of 7.38.
Pakistan Squad for New Zealand T20I Series:Â Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan
Non-travelling reserves:Â Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha