'Pakistan cricket is in ICU': Shahid Afridi slams team selection post-Champions Trophy disaster

Legendary all-rounder Shahid Afridi described the Pakistan cricket team as one that is “in ICU because of incorrect decisions”. The former Pakistan captain made the explosive statement in context of the team’s selection for their next assignment after suffering an embarrassing first-round exit from the ICC Champions Trophy, especially with regards to all-rounder Shadab Khan getting included in T20I squad and subsequently getting named vice-captain.

With the defence of their ICC Champions Trophy title ended in the group stage without a single win, Pakistan turn their attention to the upcoming tour of New Zealand, where they play five T20Is and three ODIs. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selectors have made some major decisions to both squads, leaving Shaheen Shah Afridi out of the ODIs and Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam out of the T20Is.

With the board limiting Rizwan’s leadership to the 50-over format, all-rounder Salman Ali Agha takes over as Pakistan captain in the shortest format, with Shadab – who had been left out of the Champions Trophy squad – named as his deputy.

“On what basis has he (Shadab) been recalled. What are his performances in domestic cricket or otherwise that he had been picked again,” Afridi said during a media interaction.

“All the time we talk about preparations and when an event comes and we flop then we talk about surgery. Fact is Pakistan cricket is in ICU because of incorrect decisions,” he added.

Afridi, who represented Pakistan in 398 ODIs and 99 T20Is besides 27 Tests and also led the team in the 2011 ICC World Cup, lamented the board’s lack of continuity and consistency when it came to decisions and policies.

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“There is no continuity, consistency in the Board’s decisions and policies. We keep changing captains, coaches or some players but in the end what is the accountability for Board officials,” Afridi added.

‘Lala’ also had a word of advice for PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who also happens to have a full time role with the Shehbaz Sharif-led government as the Federal Minister for Interior of Pakistan.

“He wants to do well for Pakistan but in the end he depends on advice and I told him he can’t continue doing three jobs at a time. He needs to focus on one job because being PCB Chairman is a full-time job,” Afridi said.