"Pakistan cricket is in ICU" - Former cricketer's brutal response to star all-rounder's comeback for NZ vs PAK T20Is

Former cricketer Shahid Afridi has claimed that Pakistan cricket is in ICU for all-rounder Shadab Khan’s comeback for the five-match T20I series in New Zealand, which begins in Christchurch on Sunday, March 16. The 45-year-old questioned the selectors on what ground Shadab made his comeback to the format while questioning his recent performances in domestic cricket.

For the unversed, Shadab was dropped from the national team following his poor performance at the 2024 T20 World Cup. The 26-year-old managed 44 runs and returned wicketless in his four outings at the aforementioned ICC ODI event. In his last 10 games, he has just two half-centuries and five wickets in domestic cricket. However, the southpaw didn't just make his comeback to T20Is but was also reinstated as the vice-captain.

Shahid Afridi said (via Indian Express):

“On what basis has he been recalled? What are his performances in domestic cricket or otherwise that he had been picked again. All the time we talk about preparations and when an event comes and we flop then we talk about surgery. Fact is Pakistan cricket is in ICU because of incorrect decisions.”

“There is no continuity, consistency in the board’s decisions and policies” – Shahid Afridi slams Pakistan’s cricket board

Shahid Afridi further slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for chopping and changing captains, coaches and players. The former skipper said in the same interaction:

“There is no continuity, consistency in the board’s decisions and policies. We keep changing captains, coaches or some players but in the end, what is the accountability for Board officials.”

“How can our cricket progress when there is a sword hanging constantly over the captain and coaches’ heads,” he added.

Notably, Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the new T20I captain for the T20I series in New Zealand. Mohammad Rizwan, however, retained his ODI captaincy despite the hosts Pakistan crashing out of the 2025 Champions Trophy during the group stage. Rizwan and another senior batter Babar Azam have also been dropped from the T20I series. Meanwhile, Saud Shakil, Kamran Ghulam, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen Afridi were also left out of the ODI team.

Pakistan squads for the New Zealand tour:

T20I squad - Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim and Usman Khan

ODI squad - Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufyan Moqim and Tayyab Tahir. A wicketkeeper/batter will be added to the ODI squad following the T20Is.