Shahid Afridi slams Pakistan selectors for this players’ inclusion in the team
Shahid Afridi lashed out at the selectors for selecting Mohammad Haris in the ODI team. The former all-rounder feels that it was a foolish decision by the chief selector Mohammed Wasim to select a player in the ODI team on the basis of his performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). Mohammad Haris made his debut for Pakistan in the recently won ODI series against West Indies at home. The young wicketkeeper-batsman featured in all three matches but failed to make an impact, with just six runs in two innings.
The 21-year-old batter scored 166 runs in just five PSL matches at a strike rate of 186.51 with the help of one fifty, but he has scored just 544 runs in 23 matches at an average of 34.0 and a strike rate of 101.68 in List A cricket.
“It was a foolish decision by these people. I won’t say this to Ramiz Raja but if Mohammad Wasim is listening, I ask him to don’t take such steps. Why are you selecting a player who performed in two T20 matches for ODI cricket? Is the process that easy to earn Pakistan’s cap? He [Haris] should have played T20 cricket if he was selected on the basis of performance in the shortest format,” Afridi told Samaa TV.
Afridi feels that the sudden inclusion of Mohammad Haris in the squad could dent the confidence of Mohammad Rizwan who has been an excellent performer in Tests and T20, but hasn’t been able to replicate the same in the ODIs. The wicketkeeper has scored 982 runs in 47 ODIs at an average of slightly over 28. Given the fact that Rizwan has been a star performer for Pakistan in Tests and T20s, Afridi opines that he should be given more chances to prove himself in the 50-over-format.
“I also back the inclusion of young players but at least let them play domestic cricket. You have Sarfaraz and Rizwan as well. It is not as if Rizwan’s cricket has finished that you have brought in another player. He doesn’t need to do anything special. Rizwan should enjoy ODI cricket, similar to what he does in T20I cricket,” Afridi said.
