Cricketing Great Questions Shaheen Afridi’s Place in Pakistan’s T20I Line-up
A prominent former Pakistani cricketer, Rashid Latif, has ignited a fiery debate within the cricketing fraternity by asserting that star paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi no longer warrants a spot in Pakistan’s T20 International (T20I) playing eleven. Latif’s strong stance comes in the wake of what he perceives as a significant downturn in Afridi’s recent performances, particularly his struggles with wicket-taking and an inclination to concede runs at an alarming rate.
Latif’s assessment points to a consistent pattern of underperformance by the left-arm speedster since the conclusion of the 2022 T20 World Cup. This slump in form has been evident in crucial matches, with Afridi failing to deliver the impactful spells Pakistan has come to expect. The recent 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, a tournament of immense prestige, saw Afridi falter, failing to make a significant impression for the Men in Green. His struggles were so pronounced that he was even omitted from the playing XI for a pivotal match against Namibia. This decision followed a particularly costly outing against India in Sri Lanka, where Afridi conceded over 20 runs in just two overs, a performance that highlighted his difficulties in containing opposition batsmen.
The concerns surrounding Afridi’s form are not confined to the shortest format of the game. Following Pakistan’s recent ODI series loss to Bangladesh, a sentiment has emerged among fans and cricket experts alike that Afridi may not be the ideal candidate to lead the nation in the 50-over format. While some have called for him to captain in T20Is, Latif vehemently disagrees with this notion.
“Everyone is not against his captaincy in ODIs,” Latif clarified, addressing the prevailing sentiment. “He shouldn’t be playing T20Is for Pakistan. Some people want to see him leading the team in T20Is after the debacle in the World Cup.”
Latif’s critique is sharp and direct, suggesting that the window for Afridi’s prominence in T20Is may have already closed. “He should have been tried earlier, but now he doesn’t deserve a place in the T20I team,” he stated emphatically. “People are running a campaign for his elevation in the T20I team instead of the ODIs. His time is over, and he shouldn’t lead Pakistan in T20Is.”
Performance Metrics Under Scrutiny
Digging deeper into Afridi’s recent statistics provides context for Latif’s strong opinions:
- ODI Series Against Bangladesh: In the three ODIs against Bangladesh, Afridi managed to pick up only 4 wickets. Crucially, he lacked the penetration required to provide timely breakthroughs for his team, a hallmark of his earlier successes.
- T20 World Cup Struggles: The same issues of lacking penetration and leaking runs plagued him during the T20 World Cup. He appeared less threatening with the new ball and struggled to contain the scoring in the death overs, a critical phase of any T20 innings.
- Individual Performances: While Afridi contributed a handy 37 runs in the series decider against Bangladesh, his efforts were not enough to prevent Pakistan from falling short by 11 runs, underscoring the team’s overall struggle.
Despite these concerns about his current form, Afridi is slated to lead the Lahore Qalandars in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL). The T20 franchise tournament is scheduled to commence on March 26, offering Afridi an immediate platform to potentially silence his critics and demonstrate his prowess in the shortest format of the game. However, the debate ignited by Rashid Latif raises pertinent questions about the selection strategy and the future role of one of Pakistan’s most talked-about fast bowlers.
