Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi lashed out at team management after the Asia Cup elimination
The hopes of Team Pakistan winning the Asia Cup 2023 title were crushed on Thursday as they lost a must-win match against Sri Lanka. Opting to bat first, Pakistan posted 252/7 in 42 overs because of rain, with Mohammad Rizwan scoring an unbeaten 86. After the heart-breaking elimination, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi criticized their poor team selection.
He said, "This is an age-old problem. India is playing in the Asia Cup, and I've seen changes in almost every game in their team. They've rested seniors and played juniors, which shows that they are preparing for the World Cup. These decisions are very important. You select a 15-member squad because the players on the bench are as good as those in the XI. You shouldn't have a problem with resting the first-choice players."
He further added, "If Shadab is rested, Osama Mir is there. He has performed well for Pakistan in the past. If someone isn't performing well in quite a few matches, you should rest him. I'm not saying to drop him from the 15-member squad; you can keep him on the team and still rest him. Let him have sessions with the head coach and bowling coach. I don't know what our plans are, really."