‘Replacements make no sense’: Afridi on decision to send players home mid-series

Shahid Afridi, a former Pakistani cricketer, joined the chorus of critics who condemned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for mid-series replacement of players in their ongoing Test match series against England. The PCB opted to send back seven members of the Test team, including national T20 captain Salman Ali Agha, former captain Muhammad Rizwan, and senior batter Imam-ul-Haq.

The newcomers for the third Test, scheduled to commence on September 9 in Birmingham, comprised mostly of young and uncapped players. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed from the team. The decision came after Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat in the first two Tests, losing the series opener by an innings and 103 runs and the second Test by 194 runs.

Afridi expressed his disbelief over the decision, questioning the rationale behind replacing Test players with T20 players for a single Test match. Former PCB head coach Mickey Arthur also criticized the decision, stating that constant changes in players, coaches, and selectors lead to instability and hinder consistent performance.

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad expressed shock and sympathy for the players who were sent back, warning that the replacements would face immense mental pressure in the remaining Test. Former captain Rashid Latif went further, suggesting that Babar Azam, the current captain, should have resigned when the PCB made this decision, arguing that a captain and a leader have distinct roles.