Former cricketer Basit Ali has raised concerns over the selection of Pakistan’s squad for the South Africa tour, questioning the inclusion of Babar Azam in the Test team and the omission of star pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi from the red-ball format. Pakistan’s multi-format tour of South Africa begins on December 10 in Durban, and the announced squads have sparked debates over some surprising decisions.Questions Arise Over Babar Azam’s Inclusion, Shaheen Afridi’s Exclusion in Pakistan’s Squad for South Africa Tour.
Babar Azam, who had been dropped from the second and third Tests against England, has returned to the Test side. In contrast, Shaheen Afridi, who was also dropped after the England series, remains excluded. Basit criticized the selection committee for bringing Babar back without significant domestic performances to justify his inclusion. He argued that Babar’s recent form, especially in Australia where he managed only 80 runs in three ODIs and 47 runs in three T20Is at an average of 15.67, did not merit his recall to the Test team.
“How many domestic matches has Babar played since being dropped? On what basis has he been brought back? He is a talented player, but has his form improved enough for a Test recall?” Basit questioned on his YouTube channel.
Basit also expressed dismay over Shaheen’s exclusion, attributing it to an incident during Pakistan’s first Test against Bangladesh. A viral video showed Shaheen brushing off skipper Shan Masood’s hand during a team huddle, which Basit suggested may have influenced the decision. He further criticized the treatment of Shaheen, who he claimed was made to bowl on dead pitches, resulting in underwhelming performances. “If Shaheen was dropped for his performance, what about Naseem Shah’s results in similar conditions? Why is the same standard not applied?” he added.Questions Arise Over Babar Azam’s Inclusion, Shaheen Afridi’s Exclusion in Pakistan’s Squad for South Africa Tour.
The squads for the South Africa tour include several notable names across formats. Mohammad Rizwan will lead the T20I and ODI teams, while Shan Masood captains the Test squad. Other key players include Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Saim Ayub. Shaheen, though excluded from the Test squad, has been included in both the T20I and ODI squads.
The selection has sparked widespread debate among fans and analysts, with Basit’s remarks adding to the growing scrutiny over Pakistan’s decisions as they prepare for the challenging South Africa tour.
