Former Pakistan pacer comes out in support of Asif Afridi amid criticism

Former Pakistan pacer Amir Yamin has come out in support of uncapped spinner Asif Afridi, who has been named in Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, scheduled to begin on October 12 in Lahore.

Yamin took to the social media platform ‘X’ to defend Afridi’s selection, praising the left-arm spinner’s consistent performances in domestic cricket.

“Asif Afridi’s hard work has paid off — he deserves it. If any player is playing regular first-class cricket and performing well, he deserves a place in any format,” Yamin said.

The 35-year-old pacer also hit back at critics questioning Afridi’s inclusion, calling out their lack of understanding of the game.

“The ones who criticise are usually those who know nothing about cricket. If they ever stood in the heat out on the ground, they’d understand how cricket is actually played,” he added.

Recently, interim red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood also threw his weight behind Afridi, highlighting his impressive domestic record and explaining the rationale behind his selection.

“He’s part of the team from our 16-member squad. Initially, we announced 18 players and then trimmed it down to 16, so he’s very much part of our main squad. He’s not here just as a net bowler,” Mahmood clarified.

“I don’t understand the objections. Look at his performances over the past two years: he took 53 wickets last year and 27 this year. A bowler with 80 wickets in domestic cricket clearly deserves a chance. Age is just a number. What matters is the ability to take 20 wickets in a match, and Asif is a talented bowler with a bright future,” he added.

The left-arm spinner has represented FATA Region in domestic cricket and boasts an impressive first-class record — 198 wickets in 57 matches at an economy rate of 2.92, including 13 five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match hauls.

Afridi was also the standout performer in the Hanif Mohammad Trophy 2025-26, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 33 wickets in five matches at an economy rate of 2.33.

The upcoming series holds special significance as international cricket returns to Faisalabad after 17 years, marking the start of Pakistan’s new World Test Championship (WTC) campaign.

The first Test will be played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (October 12–16), followed by the second Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (October 20–24).

This will be South Africa’s first Test series in Pakistan since January 2021, when the hosts secured a 2-0 victory.

Following the Tests, both teams will also play a three-match T20I series (October 28–November 1) and a three-match ODI series (November 4–8).

Pakistan squad for South Africa Tests:

Shan Masood (c), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Click here to read article