Azhar Mahmood: “I don’t know who is objecting. If you look back at his performances over the past two years – he took 53 wickets last year and 27 this year, making it 80 in total. I don’t understand what the objection is about”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Pakistan red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood cannot understand what all the fuss is about after left-arm spinner Asif Afridi was picked for the recent two-Test series against South Africa.
Afridi made his international debut in the 2nd Test in Rawalpindi and took six wickets, all of which came in the first innings.
In addition to his excellent performance against the Proteas, Mahmood noted the 38-year-old has consistently taken wickets in first-class cricket, which is why he got the nod from the selectors.
“He is part of our squad, and he is not selected just to do nets. I don’t know who is objecting. If you look back at his performances over the past two years – he took 53 wickets last year and 27 this year, making it 80 in total. I don’t understand what the objection is about. Obviously if someone points out his age, then ‘age is just a number’,” he was quoted as saying by A Sports.
Pakistan drew the Test series against South Africa 1-1, but emerged victorious 2-1 in both the T20Is and ODIs.
The men in green are now in action in a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, where they hold a 1-0 lead.
After the ODIs finish, Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in a T20I tri-series from November 17 to 29.
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka ODI Series: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Khan, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe T20I Tri-Series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq
Reserves: Haris Rauf, Sufiyan Muqeem
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