The Pakistan's flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi and senior batsman Younis Khan have emerged as strong contenders to make a comeback to the national team for the coming tours to West Indies and Zimbabwe after the selectors dumped them for the Champions Trophy.
Skipper Inzamam-ul Haq said Shahid Afridi and Yasir Hameed would contest for a spot in the top order.
Former Pakistan captains Younus Khan and Shahid Afridi were among four senior national cricketers being chased by the country's financial authority for unpaid taxes totaling 80 million rupees.
Pakistani selectors have dropped the flamboyant all-rounder for the first one-day international against West Indies.
Captain Shahid Afridi smashed a blistering 60-ball 124, his second century in the tournament, to steer Pakistan to a resounding 139run win over Bangladesh in an inconsequential Asia Cup match in Dambull aon Monday. Powered by Afridi's blitzkrieg and useful half-centuries from Imran Farhat (66), Shahzaib Hasan (50) and Umar Akmal (50), Pakistan posted an intimidating 385 for seven, their highest score in ODIs, after electing to bat.
The chairman of the PCB, Ijaz Butt has made it clear that the former Pakistan One-day skipper Shahid Afridi is no longer a captaincy material for the PCB.
Former Pakistan Cricket Board chief Zaka Ashraf has defended his decision to remove Babar Azam as captain following the team's disappointing ODI World Cup campaign in India.
Opener Nasir Jamshed smashed a fluent 74 to help Pakistan pull off an unconvincing five-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the second one-day international on Thursday. Chasing 239 for victory, flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi came to Pakistan's rescue with a powerful 43 not out from 27 balls after Zimbabwe had reduced the hosts to 178 for five in the 38th over.
Critical of Shoaib Akhtar for announcing his retirement in the middle of the World Cup, Pakistan ODI captain Shahid Afridi today claimed the pacer did not consult the team before making his decision public.
Pakistan's Test captain Misbah-ul Haq feels that Shahid Afridi's greatest quality has been to bring unity in the team which has always been in the news for all wrong reasons.
Many Proteas players including Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, and Chris Morris were not part of the series against Pakistan due to the IPL.
Floored by the warm reception in India after their arrival for the World Twenty20 Championship, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and senior all-rounder Shoaib Malik on Sunday said they have never felt any security threat in the country. The Pakistani team touched down here last night after getting government clearance to travel, a decision that was delayed by several days over security concerns. In fact, Pakistan's marquee World T20 clash against India on March 19 had be moved from Dharamsala to Kolkata after Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh expressed his inability to provide adequate security cover in the wake of protests by the state's ex-servicemen. However, both Afridi and Malik played down the intense media focus on Pakistan's security. "I've not enjoyed playing anywhere as much as I have in India. I am in the last stage of my career and I can say that the love I have got in India is something that I will always remember. We have not got this much love even from Pakistan," Afridi said.
Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi dedicated his inspiring performances in the World Twenty20 triumph to victims of the conflict in his troubled nation. 'Throughout the World Cup I only thought about winning this for those people who have been affected by terrorism in our country,' Afridi told reporters on Wednesday.
Shahid Afridi's scintillating all-round display secured Pakistan a series-clinching 26-run victory against Sri Lanka in a low-scoring fourth One-day International on Sunday.
Some Pakistani cricketers received threatening phone calls from unknown callers asking them to pay big sums of money or face dire consequences, senior police officials said on Sunday.
After creating a furore by stating that Indians are not "large-hearted", Pakistan's ODI cricket captain Shahid Afridi did a volte-face, claiming that he was misunderstood and quoted out of context.
Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has stirred controversy again by saying that he did not find any of the Indian cricketers having large or clean hearts.
The Pakistan all-rounder was seen pushing his bat at a spectator who said something to him on his way back to the pavilion after being dismissed.
Happy with Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to retain Younus Khan at the helm of national team, his deputy Shahid Afridi said there is no difference of opinion with the captain.
PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has expressed disappointment over interference of political functionaries into the ongoing dispute between the Board and former skipper Shahid Afridi, saying the act could damage Pakistan cricket.
Pakistan Senate's standing committee on sports on Monday recommended the cricket board to ban dashing all-rounder Shahid Afridi for at least three series for ball tampering in a One-day match in Australia last month.
The naming of Pakistan's Twenty20 and ODI squads for this month's tour to India was not without disagreements as the selectors overruled captain Misbah-ul-Haq while axing experienced all-rounder Shahid Afridi for the series.
Pakistan's iconic former captain Imran Khan is not sure whether Shahid Afridi has the ability to pull through a team in shambles but conceded that if there is anyone capable of achieving something extraordinary, it is the swashbuckling current skipper.
Electrifying Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi rated Australia's domestic Twenty20 Big Bash higher and tougher than the cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL).
Shahid Afridi may have realised a long-cherished dream to captain Pakistan in all formats of cricket but he would have a tough time dealing with the pressure that the job brings with it, feels former skipper Rameez Raja.
Former skipper Shoaib Malik is set to replace Shahid Afridi in Pakistan playing eleven for the second Test against Australia at Headingley, which is also likely to see the return of off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi made a dramatic announcement on Friday that he will quit Test cricket and captaincy after his side's second five-day game against Australia next week. After Australia beat Pakistan by 150 runs in the first Test at Lord's Afridi said the second and final match, starting at Headingley on July 21 would be his last.
Pakistan's sacked captain Shahid Afridi is not likely not attend the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) disciplinary hearing on charges of violating the code of conduct, his lawyer said on Monday.
Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi has alleged that some of his teammates were busy ogling girls and loafing around the boundary line, not giving their 100 per cent on the team's disastrous tour of Australia earlier this year.
With Pakistan's Twenty20 World Cup title defence in complete disarray, captain Shahid Afridi has criticised the selectors for not consulting him before naming the squad.
Disgraced former Pakistani Test captain Salman Butt has accused former team-mate Shahid Afridi of giving a statement against him in the spot-fixing case to get over the shock of losing his captaincy.
Shahid Afridi's dream of leading the Pakistan team came true as the flamboyant all-rounder was on Wednesday appointed captain for the one-off Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka next month.
Images from the World Cup match between Pakistan and Canada played in Colombo on Thursday.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi does not think fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is ready for a comeback to Test cricket.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has emphasised that bowling during the final powerplay will play a crucial role in the outcome of the matches in the World Cup and his side is paying special attention to this area.
Pakistan will hold an independent inquiry into the incident involving Shahid Afridi scuffing the pitch in the second Test against England.
The all-rounder said he is keen to open again because of the problem Pakistan is facing at this position for sometime now.
Shahid Afridi is not the ideal candidate to lead Pakistan in Test matches but his temperament and aggression undoubtedly made him the best available option before PCB, feels former captain Wasim Akram.
The Pakistan Cricket Board will convene a meeting of its Board of Governors next week to discuss the controversial captaincy issue for next year's World Cup.
The new rules in One-Day International cricket have made it difficult for slow bowlers, Pakistan's experienced leg-spinner Shahid Afridi said on Monday.
