Team director Mohammad Hafeez defended Pakistan’s decision to exclude spearhead fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi from the third Test, emphasizing a broader duty of care toward the players that extended beyond individual games and series. He clarified that it was the team management, rather than the player, who made the final call.
PAK vs AUS: Hafeez defends dropping Shaheen Afridi
Speaking after Pakistan’s eight-wicket defeat against Australia at the SCG, Hafeez said he had to prioritise Afridi’s long-term career. “He bowled really well in those two games and bowled the most of any bowler,” he said. “When I asked him before the third Test, his body was sore. And I need to look after him more than anything.”
Afridi’s absence further weakened an already depleted Pakistan bowling attack, missing Naseem Shah due to injury, Haris Rauf’s unavailability, and Abrar Ahmed’s fitness issues. Throughout the series, Pakistan heavily relied on Afridi, evident in his extensive bowling workload across the first two Tests, which exceeded that of any other fast bowler from either team.
“If someone thinks their body is sore and they can’t deliver the best, we need to look after the career of the individual. 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.”
The brief interval between the MCG and SCG Tests posed a challenge for Afridi. The decision to rest him sparked debates, with some accusing the PCB of favoring T20 cricket over the longer format.
Afridi was appointed captain for Pakistan’s T20I series in November and named vice-captain of the Test side ahead of the first Test in Perth. Despite this, he is yet to lead a match, with his upcoming assignment being a five-match T20I series in New Zealand from January 12 to 21. Subsequently, he is set to participate in the PSL, captaining Lahore Qalandars, a team he guided to consecutive T20 titles in recent years. The schedule culminates with the T20 World Cup in June, scheduled to take place in the United States and the West Indies.
