Shahid Afridi: “Kamran Ghulam – someone even said Pakistan had found its AB de Villiers”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Shahid Afridi has questioned where batter Kamran Ghulam has gone, noting he was once among the most promising batsmen in Pakistan, with some even feeling the country had found its own AB de Villiers.
Ghulam had been a strong domestic performer and was rewarded with a call-up to the Test team, a move which paid off right away as the 30-year-old struck a sublime century on debut against England in Multan in October 2024.
After that, he was unable to score runs consistently, but did manage to register an ODI hundred against Zimbabwe in November 2024.
Ghulam last played international cricket in February 2025, and Afridi remains surprised at how fast the Upper Dir native was in and out of the national team.
“Kamran Ghulam – someone even said Pakistan had found its AB de Villiers,” he was quoted as saying by Geo Super.
Pakistan recently faced the West Indies in a two-Test series in Trinidad and Tobago, which ended as a 1-1 draw.
Next up for them will be a three-Test series against England, which will be held from August 19 to September 13.
Pakistan Squad for England Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah