Pakistan lost the first Test match against Australia in Perth by a score of 360 runs, despite a mediocre performance by star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi. Khurram Shahzad, making his debut, was excellent with the ball and claimed five wickets, but the 24-year-old hurt himself and will miss the next two games. This has brought up important concerns regarding how some athletes are managing their workload.
Pakistan is currently concerned about Shaheen Shah Afridi, especially with the T20 World Cup drawing near, according to a source close to the team administration.
Shaheen would probably take a vacation from the third Test if Pakistan loses the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, according to the team management’s discussion with Zaka Ashraf, the PCB president, over the issue.
“The concerns of the team management and selectors have increased due to Shaheen’s form and the backlash the board and management are facing regarding how they handled Khurrum’s workload. Panic buttons have been set off.” According to the Hindustan Times, the insider stated that Shaheen would be rested for the last Test to ensure he is fit for the T20I series in New Zealand if the team loses and he doesn’t perform well in the Melbourne Test.
Notably, Naseem Shah’s injury prevented him from participating in the ODI World Cup and the current tour to Australia, and Haris Rauf withdrew from the Test series, leaving Pakistan in a difficult situation. In order to keep players fit for the forthcoming T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to start in early June, the workload must be managed despite the fact that some of their pacers are now injured.
The Men in Green will first go for a five-match Twenty20 International series that begins on January 12 in New Zealand. Following that, the players will compete in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) before taking on England in a four-game series. As a result, prior to the major tournament, all of them should have adequate playing time.
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