Shaheen Afridi out: Three Pakistan cricketers to face the axe after debacle against India in Asia Cup

Pakistan’s previous show against India was below the modern standards of the game in every aspect. While their batting failed to take the initiative at the important moments, their bowling lacked the potency to challenge India at all during the chase. With the Super Four stage at the brink, these three selection calls that Pakistan should make in search of the perfect combination.

1. Faheem Ashraf Out - Haris Rauf In

The biggest puzzle in the Pakistan line-up's first two matches has been what Faheem Ashraf's role is. He is slated as an all-rounder, a lower-order hitter, and a right-arm medium bowler. So far, in the two games, he has scored 8(4) and 11 (14), contributions that have added very little to the team's performance.

With the ball, he picked up a couple of wickets against Oman, but against India, he was never handed the cherry. This shows Salman's underconfidence in his bowling abilities against world-class batting lineups.

So, dropping Faheem Ashraf makes perfect sense as the team prepares for steeper fights. The inclusion of Haris Rauf seems a much more plausible call. He is one of Pakistan's best bowlers in the T20 format, and this adds depth and quality to what has looked like an otherwise toothless attack.

2. Hasan Nawaz Out - Khushdil Shah In

The selection of Hasan Nawaz in the squad was based on his hitting prowess that he displayed in PSL. In the latest edition of the tournament, he scored runs with a strike rate of 162.19. So the expectation was that the right-handed batter would come lower down the order and add impetus to the innings, providing them with some strong finishes. But in reality in the two matches he has scored 9 (15) vs Oman and 5 (7) vs India. His failure has been a reason that the team has looked firepower-less, especially in the death phase.

The management can think of Khushdil Shah as a replacement. The left-handed batter also showed his hitting prowess in PSL 2025, scoring at a strike rate of 156.17. Besides, his presence might give more stability to the line and he can also act as a floater depending on the situation of the game. The fact that Khushdil Shah can also deliver with the ball will allow Salman Ali Agha more flexibility to marshal his troops on the field.

3. Shaheen Afridi Out - Mohammad Wasim Jr

This might look like an outrageous choice on the surface, especially after the contributions Shaheen Afridi made with the bat against India. However, the question to ask here is: What is Afridi’s primary role? It is to pick up wickets with the new ball and rock the opposition early in the game.

Against India, Afridi looked out of depth and the skipper could never return to him after the initial Abhishek Sharma onslaught. Even against Oman, he finished his quota with only one wicket. Might by the conditions are not for him, as there is very less swing available in the UAE.

Including Mohammad Wasim Jr could be a very plausible option for Pakistan. The pacer can be a bit expensive but Wasim mostly looks to go for wickets. What the ‘Men in Green’ need now is intent and that could come with the inclusion of the right-arm pacer in the team.

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