Shahid Afridi: “If a player believes they can contribute to Pakistan, they should continue playing cricket. However, they will have to prove their fitness and be part of domestic cricket”
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Legendary Pakistan power-hitter Shahid Afridi is glad left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir and spin-bowling all-rounder Imad Wasim are ready to play international cricket again, but insisted that they must “prove their fitness.”
Amir and Imad reversed their decisions to retire from international cricket and are now available to play for the men in green.
Afridi believes their choice to return was the right one and has now urged them to contribute to the betterment of Pakistan cricket.
“The decision of Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim to come out of retirement is correct. If a player believes they can contribute to Pakistan, they should continue playing cricket. However, they will have to prove their fitness and be part of domestic cricket,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Amir recently played for the Quetta Gladiators in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and took 10 wickets in nine matches at an average of 28.60 and an economy rate of 8.41.
As for Imad, he represented Islamabad United and claimed 12 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 20.91 and an economy rate of 6.60.
He also had an impact with the bat, scoring 126 runs, which included a top score of 59 not out, at an average of 21 and a strike-rate of 128.57.
Imad and Amir both featured in Pakistan’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand in April 2024, with the former taking one wicket in two games at an average of 37 and an economy rate of 7.40.
As for Amir, he snapped up three wickets in four matches at an average of 28.66 and an economy rate of 8.32.
Both players are now involved in Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Ireland, where the men in green trail 1-0 after losing the first game by five wickets.
After this series, the men in green will play four T20Is against England from May 22 to May 30.
Pakistan Squad for Ireland and England T20I Series: Babar Azam (capt), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
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