Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali Shaheen advised Afridi to quit international cricket for a while and play first-class cricket. Shaheen Afridi had a disappointing time in the first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh, returning with match figures of 2-88 in Bangladesh’s first innings.
Afridi, who is usually known to pick up early wickets with the new ball, went wicketless in the opening batting in both the innings of the Rawalpindi Test. Both his wickets were Hasan Mahmud and Mehidi Hasan Miraz, both batting under No.7.
Afridi has been Pakistan’s best bowler in various formats. However, his form has dropped dramatically in the last few years. Even in the T20 World Cup 2024, he was far from the best and picked up 5 wickets in 4 matches.
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Basit Ali Shaheen advises Afridi to “go and play first-class cricket”.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali Shaheen advised Afridi to play first-class cricket. He claimed that Bangladesh beat Pakistan in all three departments.
“Shahin Afridi needs 100 per cent rest. He needs to go and play first-class cricket. He needs to rest. Ali S has put in a lot of effort. Pakistan failed in bowling, fielding and batting. They beat us in all departments. It’s not right to say that the team had a bad day,” he said. Basit Ali said.
Shaheen Afridi, once known for his deadly bowling with the high-speed new ball, has been out of form for some time now. His pace has also dropped and his bowling lacks authority.
Due to his lack of form, Pakistan’s bowling also suffered as they failed to pick up early wickets. Shaheen Afridi took 115 wickets in 30 Tests at an average of 27.08.
Bangladesh’s first Test win over Pakistan
The match was tied until the fifth day when the Bangladeshi bowlers scored for Pakistan. Pakistan were bowled out for 146 on the final day and Bangladesh won by just 30 runs.
It was a mere formality as openers Shadman Islam and Zakir Hasan chased down the target with ease to guide Bangladesh to their maiden Test win over Pakistan.
It was Bangladesh’s first Test win against Pakistan in 14 attempts. Before that, they lost 12 matches to Pakistan and one match ended in a draw.
Bangladesh moves up the WTC table
The win is a huge boost for Bangladesh as they have secured crucial points in the World Test Championship (WTC) table. They have now moved up to sixth in the rankings ahead of Pakistan and South Africa.
Meanwhile, Pakistan slipped to eighth place and their chances of qualifying for next year’s WTC finals took a major hit.
The next Test will start on August 30 and will be played at the same venue. Pakistan will look to level the series and finish on a high.
