Abdur Rauf: “Why Shaheen Afridi is being given regular chances for Pakistan. He is letting Pakistan down [for] years in [the] most important events”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former fast bowler Abdur Rauf cannot understand why left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi “is being given regular chances” when he has been “letting Pakistan down” for many years.
Afridi has been criticised heavily as of late for his lack of impact with the ball.
During the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, he failed to impress as he took two wickets in four games at an average of 66.50 and an economy rate of 10.23.
“Why Shaheen Afridi is being given regular chances for Pakistan. He is letting Pakistan down [for] years in [the] most important events from Sydney to India and America to Dubai. Afridi [is] not [more] important [than] Pakistan. If [the] PCB management [is] afraid of [dropping] him then resign and stay home,” Rauf said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
After a dismal performance against the Black Caps, Afridi turned things around in the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he finished as the highest wicket-taker with 19 wickets in 13 matches for the Lahore Qalandars at an average of 16.42 and an economy rate of 7.76.
Thanks to his sensational bowling, the Qalandars went on to win PSL 10.
Even though he took plenty of wickets in the PSL, Afridi was not picked for Pakistan’s ongoing three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, which the men in green lead 2-0.
The 3rd T20I will be played on June 1 in Lahore.
Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh T20I Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicketkeeper) and Saim Ayub
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