According to Express News correspondent Saleem Khaliq, during Thursday’s practice session, Afridi dived to catch a ball and his back muscle went into a spasm.
According to captain Misbahul Haq, Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal were inducted in the batting order for scoring runs and avert a possible defeat.
Shoaib Malik or Abdul Rehman could be possible replacements for Afridi in today’s match.
The Pakistan cricket team management, however, did not issue any statement in this regard.
Afridi’s batting has been a concern with a haul of just 26 runs in his last five outings while Kamran, who made a comeback after more than a year, also made a scratchy four off 14 before a soft dismissal.
COMMENTS (13)
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Without a doubt, he was dropped. Because we deal with monumental egos, we have to soften blows, hard decisions and logical way outs. It is still a start. You can't live on reputation alone.
Afrid time to pack up please. You are a liability with the Bat and you stopped fielding years ago!!
I am to say that (according to Mazar Majeed)majority of Pakistani Players are match fixter. One wonder how Misbah and Hafeez were drop from the team for over two years and they were not only recalled but made them Captains when they agreed to follow the instuction of Match fixers from butter fingerd broters and son in law of Indians
Unfortunately the team is again controlled by the same match fixers. The charactr of shoib Malik and kamram akmal is not clear. People like younus and afridi are not tolerated by this group. Less younus and afridi this team is not worth watching
When a bigger player is replaced by a youngster ,the bigger star is always injured.......or is supposed to be having a health problem.That's the law of Asian cricket.(Wordings like bad form,better replacement,old age,management issues are usually not mentioned.)
sideline ? then who would you play .. dnt have any quality allrounder in the squad ..
Oh thank God,now pak have some hope winning against aus. I wish he retires
If Malik is to replace him, then I would prefer Afridi.
Just an excuse to Sideline him . . . ???
Despite all the criticism, one can not deny the fact that Afridi is one of the biggest star and cricketer, and a good all rounder. He made spectators watch, once he is on for batting. Love to see him again, an honest, patriotic player, worth millions more than Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik....
we were gonna lose anyways so it doesn't matter
Please don't call him an all-rounder. He is a very good leg-spin bowler but a very BIG liability with the bat!
First perform then make any excuse