Shaheen Afridi unhappy as Pakistan plans to rest him for West Indies and England Tests

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi is unlikely to be selected for the Test tours of the West Indies and England later this year as part of a workload management plan. The left-arm fast bowler is reportedly unhappy with the decision, which could see him miss an important stretch of red-ball cricket.

Pakistan are scheduled to play two Tests in the West Indies, beginning in Tarouba on July 25 and Port of Spain on August 2, before travelling to England for a three-match Test series starting on August 19. Afridi is currently leading Pakistan’s ODI squad and remains a key figure in the national setup.

“The selectors and management believe that it is better if Shaheen’s workload is managed and he focuses more on white-ball cricket from here on,” one source said as quoted by NDTV Sports.

According to sources, Shaheen is unhappy with the decision to rest him from Pakistan’s upcoming Test tours of the West Indies and England. The left-arm pacer believes he is still young and eager to play more red-ball cricket.

Since making his international debut in 2018, Afridi has established himself as one of Pakistan’s leading bowlers, taking 126 wickets in 34 Tests while also representing the country in 77 ODIs and 103 T20 Internationals. Although Pakistan have played 16 Test matches since December 2023, Afridi has featured in only seven of them.

Another source revealed that white-ball coach Mike Hesson supported the move, viewing it as a necessary step to manage Afridi’s fitness and workload. Afridi recently captained Pakistan to a 2-1 ODI series victory over Australia at home.

The selectors are also keen to test other promising fast bowlers performing well in domestic cricket, including Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Abbar and Khurrum Shehzad. Pakistan’s shortage of genuine pace bowlers capable of consistently bowling above 140 kph has been a major concern in recent years, contributing to struggles in Test cricket and prompting the team to rely on slow, spin-friendly pitches at home.