Shahid Afridi raises concerns over exclusion of players in Sri Lanka tour squad
The former Pakistan skipper expresses his concerns regarding the absence of Abid Ali, Zahid Mahmood, and Usman Salahuddin, saying that these players have been overlooked despite their talent and contributions in the domestic cricket circuit.


Karachi: Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has voiced his opinion on the omission of three players from the upcoming Sri Lanka tour scheduled for July.
Afridi expressed his concerns regarding the absence of Abid Ali, Zahid Mahmood, and Usman Salahuddin, stating that these players have been overlooked despite their talent and contributions in the domestic cricket circuit.
Afridi questioned the decision, saying, "We developed a Test player who fell ill, received treatment, and recovered. I'm referring to Abid Ali; where is he? I don't understand. And besides him, you have kept two left-arm spinners in the team. There was a leg-spinner named Zahid Mehmood; where is he?"
He further added, "The rest of the squad is fine, but our players get out of the team due to injuries and then struggle to find a place again. In my opinion, Usman Salahuddin has played for Pakistan previously and had some great performances. Where is he? I mean, you give chances to completely new players, but you don't give chances to the players you have invested in; they don't seem to be noticed."
Abid Ali, 35, has played 16 Test matches and scored 1180 runs with an average of 49.16. He has three fifties and four centuries to his name. Usman Salahuddin, although having played only one Test match, has an impressive record in First-Class cricket, with 9254 runs, including 53 half-centuries and 28 centuries, at an average of 48.96.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently announced the national team squad for the Sri Lanka series. The squad includes uncapped batter Mohammad Huraira and all-rounder Aamir Jamal, marking Pakistan's first assignment in the third cycle of the ICC World Test Championship.
The first Test will take place at the Galle International Cricket Stadium from 16 to 20 July, followed by the second Test at the Singhalese Sports Club in Colombo from 24 to 28 July.
Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vc & wk), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi, and Shan Masood.
Itinerary of Pakistan's Tour of Sri Lanka:
9 July: Pakistan's arrival in Colombo
11-12 July: Warm-up game
16-20 July: First Test at Galle International Cricket Stadium
24-28 July: Second Test at Singhalese Sports Club, Colombo

From wild dunks to improbable comebacks: The top photos of the 2025 NBA playoffs
- 3 hours ago

AI can now stalk you with just a single vacation photo
- 2 hours ago

The Supreme Court’s rare moment of unanimity against a DEI rule, explained
- 2 hours ago

Why does Amazon want to scan your palm at the doctor’s office?
- 2 hours ago

CTD nabs three RAW agents planning Eid attacks in Punjab
- 12 hours ago
PM Shehbaz meets Saudi Crown Prince, discusses bilateral ties and regional stability
- 12 hours ago

What slaughtering animals all day does to your mind
- 2 hours ago

The Sonos Ace have hit their best price to date ahead of Father’s Day
- 4 hours ago

What today’s new college graduates are up against
- 2 hours ago

Beware of this silent, seething relationship-killer
- 2 hours ago

The “summer body” is over. Something worse is taking its place.
- 2 hours ago

Salaries of NA Speaker, Senate Chairman increased by over 600%
- 11 hours ago