Shahid Afridi: “As I have said repeatedly, our bench is not that strong that we don’t feel the absence of players like Babar, Shaheen or Rizwan. Other teams also face injuries but they have ready back-ups for them. We need to ready back-ups too”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Iconic Pakistan power-hitter Shahid Afridi has questioned whether there are back-ups in place for the left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi and the batting duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
Shaheen is one of Pakistan’s go-to fast bowlers, while Azam is an integral part of the batting line-up. Rizwan is in the same boat as Azam, but is also the country’s limited overs captain.
With all three of them holding such important roles, Shahid feels a group of players need to be in place to take their spots should they get injured or need to be rested.
“As I have said repeatedly, our bench is not that strong that we don’t feel the absence of players like Babar, Shaheen or Rizwan. Other teams also face injuries but they have ready back-ups for them. We need to ready back-ups too,” he was quoted as saying by PakPassion on X, formerly known as Twitter.
During Pakistan’s tour of South Africa, Shaheen took three wickets in two T20Is at an average of 19.66, while Azam made 31 runs at an average of 15.50.
As for Rizwan, he finished with 85 runs, which included a top score of 74, at an average of 42.50.
In the three ODIs that followed, Shaheen picked up seven wickets at an average of 23.28, while Azam amassed 148 runs, which included two fifties, at an average of 49.33.
Rizwan, meanwhile, struck 134 runs, which also included two half-centuries, at an average of 44.66.
As for the two-Test series, Azam ended up with 193 runs, which included three fifties, at an average of 48.25, while Rizwan made 117 runs at an average of 29.25.
Shaheen, however, was not picked for the series.
He also wasn’t selected for Pakistan’s two-Test series against the West Indies in Multan, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
However, Rizwan and Azam were picked, with the former scoring 147 runs, which included a top score of 71, at an average of 36.75.
Azam, meanwhile, mustered 45 runs at an average of 11.25.
All three players have been picked in Pakistan’s team for the upcoming ODI tri-series against New Zealand and South Africa, along with the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will be held from February 19 to March 9.
Pakistan Squad for 2025 Champions Trophy: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
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