Mickey Arthur: “I can’t believe it. If he’s not bowling in South Africa, then where the hell are they bowling him? It’s the best place to bowl in the world, almost. Plus, he gives you a left-arm option”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has blasted the decision to exclude left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi for the two-Test series against South Africa, saying “where the hell are they bowling him”.
Arthur noted that the pace-friendly conditions in South Africa would make it the best place for someone like Afridi to bowl as he has good speed and swings the ball both ways.
The 24-year-old’s removal from the Test team comes after he was axed midway through Pakistan’s three-Test series against England in October 2024.
Many felt Afridi would get straight back into the squad for the upcoming Tests against South Africa, but with that not being the case, Arthur once again expressed his shock at the fast bowler’s omission.
“I can’t believe it. If he’s not bowling in South Africa, then where the hell are they bowling him? It’s the best place to bowl in the world, almost. Plus, he gives you a left-arm option,” he told ESPNcricinfo.
Afridi was recently involved in Pakistan’s limited overs series against Australia and took eight wickets in three ODIs at an average of 12.62.
He followed that up with one wicket in three T20Is at an average of 107.
After the Australia tour, the men in green went to Zimbabwe, but Afridi was rested for both the ODI and T20I series.
He returned for the ongoing tour of South Africa and claimed three wickets in two T20Is at an average of 19.66.
As for the ODIs, he 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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