He will however feature in the Bangladesh Premier League
Star Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi has opted to sit out of the upcoming Test assignment against South Africa and the subsequent games in red-ball cricket in a bid to be ready for the ICC Champions Trophy early next year.
A source privy to the developments told PTI, “The truth is Shaheen himself requested he not be considered for Test matches until the Champions Trophy is over.”
Notably, Pakistan is set to compete in four Test matches during this World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. Their first red-ball challenge will be against South Africa, where Shan Masood’s team will play a two-match Test series from January 27 to December 7.
Following this, the Men in Green will face the West Indies in another two-match Test series, scheduled to take place from January 17 to 19 next year. This series will mark Pakistan’s final Test assignment in the current WTC cycle.
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On the contrary, Shaheen will feature in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), plying his trade for the Fortune Barishal. It is understood that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has granted Shaheen Afridi a no-objection certificate till January 15. Playing in the BPL can help Shaheen hone his white-ball skills ahead of the ICC event next year.
“He assured the management and board the money was very good and he would look after his fitness and workload during the event so he should be permitted to play in the league,” the source added.
Shaheen’s recent decision has now stirred speculations regarding his time in the longest format. While there has been no official confirmation about his future in the format, the recent development has certainly sparked retirement rumours about the left-arm pacer. It is understandable since Test cricket takes a lot of toll on fast bowlers and Shaheen wants to prolong his international career.
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