Can Shahid Afridi as a bowler be part of the Pakistan team in 2023?

[ExpressPacer]

Pretty much the title. Forget his match-winning ability with the bat, would Afridi walk into this team purely as a bowler based on his form in the last few years before retirement?

 

[Mamoon]

Of course. He was a much a bigger threat than Shadab.

He is touching 50, but I bet he can still outperform Shadab as an all-rounder with a couple of “teekay” in his lower-back.

Shadab is the biggest fraud I have ever seen.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Of course. He was a much a bigger threat than Shadab.

He is touching 50, but I bet he can still outperform Shadab as an all-rounder with a couple of “teekay” in his lower-back.

Shadab is the biggest fraud I have ever seen.

Afridi is still fitter than most of PCT so I don't doubt it.

As far as Shadab is concerned, I personally think he has massively regressed at best or been found at least. I remember his googly was unplayable in his debut series but he never uses it anymore which is a shame.

 

[RyanRyan10]

The tournament isn't over yet. Shadab Khan's bowling average of 34 is same as Shahid Afridi's bowling average.

 

[Kianig89]

Shahid Afridi > Shadab, Nawaz, Mir, Ifti

Infact S.Afridi+AJmal+Hafeez= A class bowling
Afridi+Ajmal+Hafeez ≤ Opposition 280

 

[hur rizvi]

Afridi was very accurate. He definitely would outbowl usama and shadab even today.

If you look at Afridi as a cricketer, even though he was a reckless batter, his bowling was pretty much wicket to wicket all the times

 

[Rana]

Afridi was done as a bowler by the end of his career even in T20s

Azam Khan smashing him for 3 sixes in an over

 

[saqib.rai]

Pretty much the title. Forget his match-winning ability with the bat, would Afridi walk into this team purely as a bowler based on his form in the last few years before retirement?

Again nostalgia

Afridi was a pathetic bowler overall. Would have phases in which he was good but lacked consistency just like Shadab

However, I would have both in the team in their respective eras. Due to the all-round skill they bring to the table by batting and fielding as well

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Shahid Afridi > Shadab, Nawaz, Mir, Ifti

Infact S.Afridi+AJmal+Hafeez= A class bowling
Afridi+Ajmal+Hafeez ≤ Opposition 280

They were able to apply a squeeze in the middle overs.

Hafeez was very underrated. Always chipped in with a 2/42 and a decent batter too. Now we have Nawaz who is an even bigger fraud than Shadab. He is a tailender who can't even bowl

 

[lucky_fish]

Whilst Afridi was a good leg spinner his value increased more often than not because of the other bowlers around him.

If only the pacers were able to exert control then we might have seen Shadab or Usama find some good form in the tournament.

Maybe.....

 

[sweep_shot]

Shahid Afridi still plays franchise cricket. He is still quite fit and may even outperform the current Pakistani spinners.

 

[chinaman00]

The manner Shadab forced his way into the Pakistan cricket team as a regular fixture is one of cricket’s great mysteries. A player who can’t bat nor ball to save his life has been made the vice captain and given outsized role in the team.

Quite astonishing if you really think of it.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

The only thing stopping Afridi is his back injury. He has more variations than any spinner in Pakistan right now including the mystery spinner Abrar.

 

[emranabbas]

I know we use to bash malik, hafeez and afridi back in the days but they were much better than nawaz and shadab

Malik hafeez and afridi did use to come up with a performance after every few matches or so

 

[jnaveen1980]

Father in law and Son in law can open the bowling. Enjoy cake. Will be a wonderful story to share with Shaheen's kids.

 

[Suleiman]

He would be the MVP right now even if he played as a pure bowler or as a pure batsman.

A lot of haters of his batting. But he bats Iftikhar, Nawaz and Shadab out of the competition.

Scored a 100 off 40 balls type innings in the Natwest t20 blast or whatever it’s called, essentially a proper domestic t20 competition in England after retirement aged 41 or whatever.

So yeah, he would do more than these mentally weak individuals.

Not saying he’d be Gary Sobers… but hard to not look like Gary when your competition is Iftikhar, Shadab and Nawaz

 

[Dantheone]

Yes he could have been in the team alone as a bowler and come in at 7 or 8 to smash some sixes.

 

[mon858]

Sad to see things come to this question even. As others have said Shadab wasn't this bad. I think a lot to do with not playing 4 day cricket. Going forward for all players consider for odi team 4 day should be must. For those that are t20 only and retired from odi test it's fine. But everyone else pcb must require 4 day cricket. That may help get some better bowlers over time and ensure they are not regressing I'm ability to bowl more then 4 overs needed by t20 and able to land good balls on the spot more often, as well as work on bowling variety, subtle improvements outside of main season, etc . This may also require permitting only 1 foreign league per player aside from psl

 

[hassan918]

This question perfectly sums up the dismal performance of the Pakistani spinners in recent times. The best spinner at the moment seems to be Iftikhar Ahmed.

 

[Bhaijaan]

He would have done better than Shadab even at this age.

 

[JAV12341]

He’s done needs to retire I called it 6 months ago he’s a trundler now

 

[pratiktc]

He couldn't have been worse than Shadab and Usama

 

[oatmeal]

Afridi in his prime? Sure

Afridi in this last few years - that's hard to say. He was a bits and pieces cricketer in the last phase of his career. But Prime Afridi was dangerous with both the bat and the ball and would have walked into most major teams

 

[FearlessRoar]

As we are lacking a quality spinner, maybe Afridi can consider taking back his retirement.

 

[batandballbattle]

Our spin bowling is so weak that we are considering a man in his 40s, it's really quite sad.
Hopefully abrar can be developed in ODIs to revive our spin bowling somewhat.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Our spin bowling is so weak that we are considering a man in his 40s, it's really quite sad.
Hopefully abrar can be developed in ODIs to revive our spin bowling somewhat.

Ibrar Ahmad is a genuine spin bowler. He needs some more exposure in List-A cricket. He has the ability to take 200 ODI wickets for Pakistan.

 

[Ali T]

Well Afridi is certainly looking quite fit !

 

[ahmadharis1]

Give him a quick training camp to get him back to form and I'd have him in our t20 squad easy