'On What Basis Has He Been Recalled': Shahid Afridi Questions Shadab Khan's Selection For NZ Tour
Shahid Afridi criticized Shadab Khan's selection for the New Zealand tour due to poor domestic performance, blaming Pakistan cricket's struggles on inconsistent PCB policies.
Pakistani great Shahid Afridi is not pleased with leg-spinner Shadab Khan‘s selection for the upcoming tour of New Zealand. Afridi believes there’s neither any domestic performances nor any other criteria behind bringing him back, adding that it’s because of ‘incorrect’ decisions like this that Pakistan cricket was in the ‘ICU’.
Shadab Khan last played for Pakistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados and the USA, where the team suffered one of its worst ICC events exits. However, soon after another one in the 2025 Champions Trophy at home, he was called back to the T20I team and also handed the vice-captaincy. Mohammad Rizwan, who led in the Champions Trophy, was also the T20 skipper but has now been sacked.
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“On what basis has he been recalled? What are his performances in domestic cricket or otherwise that he had been picked again," Shahid said during a media interaction, as quoted by PTI. “All the time we talk about preparations and when an event comes and we flop then we talk about surgery. The fact is Pakistan cricket is in ICU because of incorrect decisions."
He was also unhappy that whenever there’s a change of guard at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the new chairman changes everything, from captains to coaches and officials.
“There is no continuity, consistency in the Board’s decisions and policies. We keep changing captains, coaches, or some players but in the end, what is the accountability for Board officials," the former skipper questioned. “How can our cricket progress when there is a sword hanging constantly over the captain and coaches’ heads."
Earlier, Afridi had also revealed that he had a conversation with chairman Mohsin Naqvi where the latter had told him that he didn’t know much about cricket. Afridi had said that he advised Naqvi to surround himself with better cricketing brains who could help him.
Pakistan squad for New Zealand series: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan, Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Irfan Khan, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem and Usman Khan
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