Shahid Afridi questions Pakistan's T20 World Cup selections

Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi is not impressed with Pakistan’s squad for the T20 World Cup. Afridi raised concerns about the omissions of few players from the team.

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Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi ( Image Credit: Twitter)

Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi is not impressed with Pakistan’s squad for the T20 World Cup. Afridi raised concerns about the omissions of few players from the team. The likes of Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed have not been considered for the showpiece event. Afridi said that despite having reservations with the squad, he will support the Men in Green in the T20 World Cup.

“I don’t know why certain players were picked and a few were left out. I have heard that there are plans to announce a modified T20 World Cup squad. My individual thinking is that this is not the right team. Ideally, there should have been two-three changes. So yeah, don’t agree with the squad chosen but this is our team so we have to support it at the World Cup.”

Meanwhile, PCB has roped in Matthew Hayden and Vernon Philander as Pakistan coaches for the T20 World Cup following the resignations of head coach Misbah ul Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis. However, Afridi feels the new recruits won’t make much of a difference to Pakistan in the T20 World Cup.

“Don’t think the new coaching staff (Hayden and Philander) will be able to make much of a difference at the T20 World Cup. This decision to hire new coaches should ideally have been taken after the World Cup.”‘

The all-rounder further questioned the timing of Misbah and Younis’ decision to quit their roles, adding that it could cost Pakistan in the T20 World Cup. “If the coaches who have left quit on their own will, then they have wronged Pakistan cricket. The new ones who have come in will obviously say we have just taken over. I think the same coaches should have stayed till the T20 World Cup.”

Here’s Pakistan’s squad for T20 World Cup: Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Azam Khan, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood.

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