Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has offered his opinion on the exclusion of pacer Shaheen Afridi from Pakistan’s Test squad for the upcoming series against South Africa in December-January.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ali provided insights into what might have led to Afridi’s omission from the red-ball squad.
The former batter suggested that the left-arm pacer's removal was tied to his recent struggles on "dead pitches," which have made it challenging for the fast bowler to perform at his best.
However, he also pointed to a more personal reason behind the decision.
"Shaheen was removed from the squad after being made to bowl on dead pitches, but the controversy began when Shan placed his hand on Shaheen's shoulder, and Shaheen removed it. That's why he hasn't been included in the Test team," said Shaheen.
During the first Test of the Pakistan-Bangladesh series, a viral video surfaced showing Shaheen Afridi removing Test captain Shan Masood's hand from his shoulder during a team huddle on the field.
The incident quickly sparked speculation and discussion among fans and analysts.
Addressing the issue, Masood clarified that there had been no fight between him and Afridi. He explained that Afridi had been experiencing pain in his shoulder, and his gesture had been merely misunderstood.
"There was no fight with Shaheen Afridi. He was feeling pain in the shoulder, and unfortunately, I had placed my hand on the same shoulder," Masood told reporters.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced the squad for the upcoming red-ball and white-ball series against South Africa, with some notable exclusions from the Test squad.
The T20I squad will depart for South Africa on December 6, while the ODI and Test teams will leave on December 13. Red-ball coach Jason Gillespie will join the team in Johannesburg ahead of the Test series.
Pakistan Test squad for South Africa series:
Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha
Test series schedule:
- 26-30 Dec – First Test, Centurion
- 3-7 Jan – Second Test, Cape Town
- Basit Ali
- Shaheen Afridi
