Shaheen Shah Afridi was dropped after the first testImage Credit source: Getty Images
Pakistan cricket team has already faced huge embarrassment due to the defeat in the first test match at the hands of Bangladesh. This was its third consecutive defeat in Test cricket against Bangladesh. After this defeat, questions are being raised on the performance of some players in the Pakistani team. One such player is star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has had to suffer the consequences of this. Shaheen has been dropped from the playing-11 for the second test match.
In Sylhet from Saturday 16th May Bangladesh-Pakistan The second test match started between. In this match, Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and decided to bowl first. But when he revealed the changes in the playing-11, the real news came out. The Pakistani captain took the decision to drop left-arm pacer Shaheen, which was not expected. But Shan Masood still took this decision, which became a reason for discussion.
Shaheen’s flop show continues for 4 and a half years
Shaheen Afridi did not perform very amazingly in the last test match but he was successful in taking wickets. Shaheen had taken 3 wickets in the first innings of that match played in Mirpur, while in the second innings he had 2 wickets in his account. In that match, only Mohammad Abbas (7) took more wickets for Pakistan than Shaheen. But there is another aspect to this also.
Actually, this was the 23rd consecutive time that Shaheen Afridi has not been able to take 5 wickets in an innings. His condition has been going on for the last 4 and a half years. Statistics show that from 2022 till now, Shaheen has taken only 40 wickets in 23 innings of Test cricket, in which his average has been 37.25. Even once he could not take 5 wickets in an innings. The last time he did this feat was in 2021, when Shaheen took 47 wickets in just 17 innings and took 5-5 wickets in an innings thrice.
Babar Azam’s return
Apart from this, star batsman Babar Azam has returned to the Pakistani team, who could not play in the first test match due to injury. Apart from them, fast bowler Khurram Shahzad and spinner Sajid Khan have got a chance in the team. Apart from Shaheen, among those out are opener Imam ul Haq and spinner Nauman Ali. As far as Bangladesh is concerned, for this team, explosive ODI-T20 opener Tanjid Hasan Tamim has made his debut in Test cricket.
