- By Manik Sharma
- Sat, 06 Jan 2024 02:24 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
AUS vs PAK: After trailing the series 2-0 before the Sydney test, the only beacon of hope Pakistan showed was in the form of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who bowled his heart out in the two games, picking up eight wickets.
However, to the surprise of many, the pacer was dropped from the Playing XI in the final test, leading to criticism of the Pakistan team management in the cricket fraternity.
Afridi's exclusion further weakened an already depleted Pakistan bowling attack, resulting in a humbling eight-wicket defeat by Australia and a 3-0 whitewash. Pakistan heavily relied on Afridi, evident in him bowling nearly 100 overs in the first two Test matches, a workload unmatched by any fast bowler in the series.
Team director Mohammad Hafeez defended the decision, asserting a duty of care to the players beyond individual games. He emphasised that the team management, not Afridi, made the final call.
"He bowled really well in those two games and bowled the most of any bowler. When I asked him before the third Test, his body was sore. And I need to look after him more than anything," Hafeez said in a post-match press conference.
"I will never make a decision where a player can lose his career for six months or a year. It was a tough call but we made that decision for the betterment of the players. Because we cannot make that decision at the cost of a player's career," he added.
Former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram had earlier dismissed claims of management resting Afridi, insisting it was the player's decision.
"Let's not pretend this has anything to do with the management. It is solely Shaheen's decision. Straight after this there are five T20s in New Zealand, and Shaheen's the captain. But T20 cricket, who cares? It's there for entertainment and it's there for financial gain for cricket boards, for players, but cricketers should know that Test cricket is the ultimate," Akram had said on Fox Cricket.
Waqar Younus had found Afridi's absence surprising, expressing his expectation of the fast bowler's participation based on his performance in the previous match.
Afridi, appointed captain of the Pakistan T20I series, is set to lead in New Zealand and the upcoming PSL, where he captains Lahore Qalandars. The T20 World Cup in June holds significance for Afridi, where he will be leading his side in pursuit of a second World Cup title.
