Pakistan Twenty20 skipper Shahid Afridi does not seem to be in favour of tainted cricketer Salman Butt making a comeback to the national team. A source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told PTI that Butt, who completed a five-year ban for spot-fixing last September, was in contention for an immediate comeback to international cricket but Afridi showed his reluctance. "Butt met with chief selector Haroon Rasheed last night in Lahore. The situation is that members of the Pakistan team have also indicated they have no problems with Butt joining the team but Afridi is not in favour of his inclusion," the source said. The source also said that the selectors were considering opener Butt for the World T20 after the team's dismal batting performance in the Asia Cup in Bangladesh. "The selectors are desperate to find a solution to the opening problem in the Pakistan team and will also certainly recall experienced opener Ahmed Shehzad. Salman Butt is also under consideration," the source said.
The selectors on Wednesday recalled Shahid Afridi in the Pakistan squad for the One-day series against Sri Lanka, hours after the former captain had a meeting with the new PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf.
Kohli's frustration was evident as he trudged back to the pavilion, mirroring the disappointment etched on wife Anushka Sharma's face in the stands.
Mandhana joined the Southern Brave, meanwhile, the Birmingham Phoenix roped in Richa for the forthcoming Women's Hundred 2024.
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.
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.
Shahid Afridi believes Pakistan can go to India and play a series but only after the country's Cricket Board (PCB) gets written guarantees from its Indian conterpart (BCCI).
The selectors have brought in leg-spinner Danish Kaneria, pacer Mohammad Sami and batsman Faisal Iqbal for the three-Test series against India starting on November 22.
Naqvi previously mentioned that a "major surgery" was required in the team after Pakistan's defeat to India
Scathing in its criticism after Pakistan's loss to India in a World Twenty20 match, the media here came down heavily on national coach Waqar Younis and skipper Shahid Afridi for their "faulty gameplan" and team selection. In a low-scoring rain-curtailed 18-over-a-side showdown t the hallowed Eden Gardens last night, India first restricted Pakistan to 118 for five and then overhauled the target in 15.5 overs on a turning track. With a moisture-laden pitch on offer following rains, Pakistan went by their strength and included four seamers in the playing eleven, leaving out left-arm spinner Imad Wasim. But the plan backfired as, to the surprise of all and sundry, the wicket turned from the first over itself. In a sarcastic article, the 'Express Tribune' newspaper criticised the Pakistan team's tactics and questioned the logic behind including four seamers on a turning wicket.
Kohli, who has a stellar record against Pakistan, registered his lowest individual score against the Men in Green on Saturday.
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.
A confident and well-adjusted India would look to capitalise on an unpredictable Pakistan during Sunday's T20 World Cup match.
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.
Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi came under fire for his sudden decision to retire from Test cricket after the England debacle with some former players questioning his commitment to the team.
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 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'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.
Flamboyant Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi on Thursday announced that he will retire from international cricket after the World T20 to be held in India next year.
Former Pakistan head coach Waqar Younis has claimed that his relationship with former skipper Shahid Afridi has been spoiled after his scathing report on the country's dismal performance in the recently-concluded World T20 was leaked. "I have been very clear that report was not for the media, but for the cricket board. Unfortunately, the report was leaked and my relationship with Afridi has been spoilt," Younis was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. Waqar and Afridi's decision to step down from their respective position came days after their side's early exit from the T20 format's pinnacle event. Pakistan were crashed out of the prestigious tournament after suffering three successive defeats against arch-rivals India, New Zealand and Australia in the group stages. Talking about Afridi's drawbacks, the 44-year-old said that the main problem with the all-rounder was his inability to concentrate on a particular thing for long span of time. "Afridi's drawbacks as a captain are for everyone to see. He has got a temperament issue. He cannot sit for too long to highlight things, or absorb things and then go and implement them. I've said this in my report," said Younis.
Pakistan's World Twenty20 loss to India could spell the end of Shahid Afridi's rein as captain with the country's Cricket Board planning to sack him irrespective of the team's performance in the remainder of the tournament. "There is clear discontent in the Board about Afridi and his performances and captaincy and even if he decides against retiring after the World T20, the board will not retain him as captain any longer and even his days as a player are ending now," a Pakistan Cricket Board source said. "The Board is also privately not happy with the media statements of Afridi and believe it is time to move on," he said. Sources told PTI that PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan has indicated even the current selection committee could be disbanded after the World T20. "No matter whether Pakistan reaches the semi-finals or even wins the title the selection committee headed by Haroon Rasheed is on its way out," one source confided. He said the inquiry committee formed by the board to probe into the performance of the team in the Asia Cup had already held three meetings and expressed discontent with the performance of the selectors and management.
Pakistan retain playing XI for clash against India
It will be hard to catch up with Afridi now! After another incredible bowling performance on Wednesday at Mirpur (9.3-1-30-4), Afridi is now over 200 'runs' clear of Yuvraj Singh in the MVPI list.
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.
Images from the World Cup match between Pakistan and Canada played in Colombo on Thursday.
The all-rounder said he is keen to open again because of the problem Pakistan is facing at this position for sometime now.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi does not think fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is ready for a comeback to Test cricket.
Pakistan's ODI and Twenty20 skipper Shahid Afridi says he has no intention of going back on his 'emotional' decision to retire from Test cricket, as he has lost the desire to play the longer format of the game. 'I have no real desire to play Test cricket and the reason I lost this desire was because I was not selected consistently for Test matches,' Afridi said.
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.
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.
Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar says he would have picked a much younger Indian squad for the T20 World Cup since loading the side with seniors has not worked in the past.
Pakistan's One-day skipper Shahid Afridi has said that he is under no threat regarding the World Cup captaincy issue as he had never run after the captaincy in his entire career.
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.
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.
Pakistani selectors have dropped the flamboyant all-rounder for the first one-day international against West Indies.
New Zealand survived Shahid Afridi's late onslaught to beat Pakistan by 17 runs in the second and final Twenty20 match to level the series 1-1.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Friday said that a side strain might stop him from playing even the second Test against Australia at Headingley, after which he desires to retire from the five-day version of the game.
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.
Images from the T20 World Cup Group A match between India and Pakistan in New York on Sunday.
