Shaheen Afridi Out Of Pakistan's Test XI; Shan Masood Should Take The Bold Call Due To 3 Reasons

Shaheen Afridi might be axed for ENG Tests [X]

Led by Shan Masood, Pakistan recently suffered a disastrous Test series defeat against Bangladesh on home soil. After securing a clinical ten-wicket victory in the series opener, the visitors steamrolled the hosts in the decider to bag a historic series win. 

The poor form of Shaheen Afridi was a significant reason behind Pakistan's dismal outing in the series. The ace speedster had a forgettable time with the ball, managing only two wickets in one match at a mediocre average of 48 and a strike rate of 96. 

So, as Pakistan aim to change their fortunes in the England Tests, the experienced pacer could be dropped from the side due to three significant reasons. 

Shaheen Afridi's Recent Test form

(Shaheen Afridi's Test record since 2022)

After rising to prominence during the early 2020s, Shaheen Afridi suffered a sudden downfall following an unfortunate injury setback. His Test form dipped as he struggled to strike with the red cherry at crucial junctures. 

Shaheen's decline in red-ball cricket is quite evident from his recent stats. Since 1st January 2022, the left-arm pacer has scalped only 29 wickets in 17 innings at a horrendous average of 36.55. His strike rate of 65.4 is the second worst among the five highest wicket-takers for Pakistan during this period. So, his recent Test form might emerge as a primary reason for Shaheen's potential exclusion from the squad for the England series. 

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Afridi's Failure to capitalise on home conditions

(Shaheen Afridi's Test record at home since 2022)

Shaheen Afridi's recent struggles in Test cricket can be attributed to his failure to capitalise on the home conditions. Once an asset with the ball, Shaheen has shown enough signs of lacking penetration these days. 

In his last seven Test innings at home, Shaheen has managed only eleven scalps at an average of 38.54 and a strike rate of 74.1. These poor numbers highlight his ineffectiveness at home, suggesting he has become a burden for Pakistan. 

So, given Pakistan will face England in their backyard, they should pick a more lethal bowling weapon than Shaheen for the high-octane affair. 

Emergence of Mir Hamza And Khurram Shahzad

The rise of Mir Hamza and Khurram Shahzad might also shut the door for Shaheen Afridi. His disastrous run collided with the emergence of Mir Hamza, who looked sharp with the new ball in the Bangladesh home series. Besides moving the ball both ways, Hamza's ability to hit the corridor of uncertainty makes him a definite starter ahead of Afridi. 

Meanwhile, Khurram Shahzad has also grabbed the opportunities with both hands, bowling some lethal spells for Pakistan in Tests. Recently, the right-arm pacer became a household name following his magnificent five-wicket haul in the second Test against Bangladesh. So, given these two players have recently enjoyed stellar success, Pakistan team management might give them the nod ahead of a struggling Afridi for the England series. 

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