‘I’m very straight….we did not get a green signal from the chairman’: Shahid Afridi on not selecting Sharjeel Khan in Pakistan’s ODI squad vs NZ

Sharjeel Khan had accepted all five charges on the same to the Anti-Corruption Tribunal of PCB and was handed a five year ban from international cricket back in 2017.

Sharjeel Khan last played an ODI for Pakistan back in January 2017. (AP/PCB on Twitter)

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Pakistan’s Interim chairman of selectors Shahid Afridi did not mince his words when it came to reasoning why Sharjeel Khan was not amongst the 16 players in the national team squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.

“24 ke andar maine select kiya tha (He was part of the 24-player shortlist),” said Afridi in a presser on Thursday, January 5. “This, owing to his performances in domestic cricket.” The former Pakistan skipper then turned towards Haroon Rashid, convener of the interim committee and said, “I’m very straight, we did not receive a green signal from the chairman regarding whatever had happened in Dubai.”

Afridi was of course referring to Khan’s involvement in the Pakistan Super League spot fixing scandal in the 2017 edition of the league back in UAE. The batter had accepted all five charges on the same to the Anti-Corruption Tribunal of PCB and was handed a five year ban from international cricket back in 2017.

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New additions to the eventual squad included uncapped batter Tayyab Tahir and wrist spinner Usama Mir, on the back of their performances in the Pakistan Cup while Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf, who were nursing injuries, marked a return. A notable miss was the name of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is still recovering from a knee injury sustained during the 2022 T20 World Cup final. Shadab Khan also wasn’t fit to be added in the 16-player list.

“I am pleased Fakhar Zaman and Haris Rauf have regained complete fitness and though we will miss Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi in this series, their absence will provide Mohammad Wasim Junior, Naseem Shah, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usama Mir to step up and demonstrate what they are actually capable of,” Afridi said.

Afridi further suggested that the squad was picked keeping one eye on the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup later this year.

“We had limited ODI cricket last year and this year, we are scheduled to play 11 ODIs before we participate in the ACC Asia Cup, followed by the World Cup in conditions that will be familiar to us. So, we aim to make optimum use of these 11 ODIs by providing opportunities to our consistent performers that will enable us to select the best available players for the two important tournaments.”

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Pakistan are currently playing the second Test against New Zealand, requiring 319 runs to win on the final day in Karachi. The first of three ODIs will be played on Monday, January 9.

Pakistan ODI squad: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir and Usama Mir

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