Aqib Javed opens up on Shaheen Afridi's exclusion from South Africa squad

Abbas Afridi was included in Test squad for SA tour.

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Former cricketer and interim head coach of Pakistan's national team, Aqib Javed, has explained why fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was not included in the Test squad for the upcoming series against South Africa.

Speaking to reporters, Javed, who is also a member of the national selection committee, stated that Afridi was given a rest ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy scheduled in Pakistan, Express Tribune reported.

The decision was made to allow Shaheen Afridi time to focus on his fitness and return to his best form for the tournament.

"We want to maintain continuity in the ODI squad ahead of the Champions Trophy," Javed explained. "We are creating a combination of experienced and young players for this purpose."

As a result, young fast bowler Abbas Afridi was included in the squad in place of Shaheen. The decision comes despite Shaheen’s notable performance in the previous Test series against South Africa.

Shaheen's Test record against South Africa:
Shaheen Shah Afridi has played two Test matches against the host nation, South Africa, where he claimed nine wickets at an average of 26.66.

Pakistan's squads for the South Africa tour:

Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha

ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk)

T20Is: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir, Usman Khan (wk)

Aqib Javed added, "Our aim is to maintain consistency in ODI selections as part of our ICC Champions Trophy 2025 preparations, while also giving emerging talent opportunities in T20Is alongside experienced players. For Tests, we have focused on assembling a squad that can adapt to challenging conditions and consistently compete at the highest level."

Tour schedule:

• 10 Dec – First T20I, Durban
• 13 Dec – Second T20I, Centurion
• 14 Dec – Third T20I, Johannesburg
• 17 Dec – First ODI, Paarl
• 19 Dec – Second ODI, Cape Town
• 22 Dec – Third ODI, Johannesburg
• 26-30 Dec – First Test, Centurion
• 3-7 Jan – Second Test, Cape Town