Khushdil breaks silence as Pakistan exit rumours swirl

Pakistan all-rounder Khushdil Shah has rubbished the reports suggesting he is considering leaving Pakistan cricket, calling the speculation “fake” and “completely untrue”.

The 31-year-old took to Instagram to clarify his position after comments made by fellow Pakistan all-rounder Abbas Afridi in an interview resurfaced on social media and triggered speculation about Khushdil’s future with the national side.

“There’s fake news going around claiming I’m leaving Pakistan cricket and it’s completely untrue,” Khushdil wrote in his Instagram story.

“Pakistan is my home, and representing this country has always been my top priority and greatest honour.”

Khushdil further urged fans not to pay heed to the reports, reaffirming that his commitment to Pakistan cricket remains unchanged.

“Please don’t believe these baseless rumours. My commitment to Pakistan cricket has never changed and never will,” he said.

The clarification came after a two-month-old interview of Abbas Afridi gained renewed attention online. In the interview, Abbas claimed that Khushdil had told him he had around four months left and would have to leave Pakistan if he did not receive a national team call-up within that period.

The remarks quickly circulated across social media, with some reports interpreting them as an indication that Khushdil was considering walking away from international cricket.

Khushdil, however, has now categorically rejected that interpretation, making it clear that he has no plans to quit Pakistan cricket.

The all-rounder made his international debut in November 2019 and has since represented Pakistan in 15 ODIs and 38 T20Is.

His most recent appearance for the national team came during the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup last year. Khushdil featured in Pakistan’s group-stage match against the United Arab Emirates, scoring four runs, but did not retain his place in the playing XI for the remainder of the tournament.

He was subsequently left out of the national squad, leaving him on the sidelines as Pakistan continued to assess its options in the limited-overs setup.

Despite his prolonged absence, Khushdil’s latest statement makes his position clear: he remains committed to playing for Pakistan and is waiting for another opportunity to return to the national side.

For now, the all-rounder has sought to put the speculation surrounding his future to rest, insisting that representing Pakistan remains both his priority and his honour.