Pakistan drops Shaheen Afridi for South Africa tour ahead of Champions Trophy 2025; here’s why
Live MintSpeedster Shaheen Afridi has been left out of Pakistan's squad for a two-test series in South Africa in a bid to keep him fresh for the Champions Trophy 2025 at home next year, the country's cricket board said on Wednesday. “Shaheen Afridi, who also missed the last two tests against England, has been picked for the white-ball matches as part of his workload management so that he is in his best fitness and form for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025,” the statement read. Fellow fast bowler Naseem Shah and batting mainstay Babar Azam, both of whom missed the last two matches against England, were recalled for the test matches in Centurion and Cape Town. “However, considering the pace-friendly conditions at Centurion and in Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas instead, who is an outstanding exponent of seam bowling.” Pakistan squads: Tests: Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha ODI: Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan