Mike Haysman: “No Shaheen Shah Afridi… in the conditions expected for the 2 Tests [it] sure is an interesting omission! My initial reaction is that [the] SA batsmen will be pleasantly surprised”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Renowned cricket commentator Mike Haysmen said the South African batsmen “will be pleasantly surprised” by Pakistan’s decision to exclude left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi for the upcoming two-Test series.
Considering the conditions in South Africa are pace-friendly, Haysman conceded that the move makes even less sense.
Afridi has struggled to take wickets consistently as of late, but has still been seen as Pakistan’s pace spearhead in all three formats.
“No Shaheen Shah Afridi… in the conditions expected for the 2 Tests [it] sure is an interesting omission! My initial reaction is that [the] SA batsmen will be pleasantly surprised,” Haysman said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Afridi was recently in action in Pakistan’s limited overs series against Australia and took eight wickets in three ODIs at an average of 12.62.
He didn’t have as much success in the T20Is as he claimed one wicket in three games at an average of 107.
After the Australia tour, Pakistan went to Zimbabwe, but Afridi was rested for both the ODI and T20I series.
The 24-year-old returned for the ongoing tour of South Africa and picked up three wickets in two T20Is at an average of 19.66.
In the ODIs that followed, Afridi finished with seven wickets in three matches at an average of 23.28.
The two-Test series between Pakistan and South Africa will get underway on December 26 in Centurion.
Pakistan Squad for South Africa T20I Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa ODI Series: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper)
Pakistan Squad for South Africa Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan (wicketkeeper), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha
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