Shaheen Afridi keeps mum on South Africa Test series omission

Shaheen Shah Afridi.
(Photo Source – Twitter/X)

With Pakistan taking on South Africa in a two-game Test series, there had been reports that ace pacer Shaheen Afridi was axed from the Test squad. It is worth noting that Shaheen Afridi will be fulfilling his duties for Fortune Barishal in the BPL. Attending a press conference, he opted to skip the questions surrounding Pakistan cricket.

According to some reports, Shaheen was axed from the Test squad after he failed to comply with an instruction from a selector to play a four-day game which was interpreted as disobedience. 

“Sorry for that, can we just question the Bangladesh league. “I am fit (to play across formats) and that’s why I’m here (to play BPL),” Shaheen told the reporters in the press conference. 

Apart from his exclusion from the national side, Shaheen Afridi is very close to becoming the player with the most number of wickets in the opening over in T20 cricket. When asked about the same, Afridi revealed that he is not focused on records.

Also Read: ‘I can’t believe it’ – Mickey Arthur expresses disbelief over Shaheen Afridi’s snub from Test squad against SA

“Actually I’m not trying to break the records or make a record. I’m just simply trying to hit my right areas in T20 cricket. You know, T20 cricket’s wicket is too good for batting and so just trying to mix up using my variation and just trying to hit my good areas,” Afridi said. 

“For me it’s usual. Batters try to take on bowlers, you know to disturb the bowler. As a bowler, when you take a wicket early, the whole batting unit will be disturbed because the middle order can’t face the new ball easily. That’s the approach I have – to take a wicket with the new ball. If not, then use my variation,” he added. 

The star pacer had also talked about being very excited to participate in the BPL, and repay the trust which Barishal skipper Tamim Iqbal seems to have put in him.