'Babar Azam would have gotten a lot of support'- Shahid Afridi on Shoaib Malik's exclusion from Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad

Shahid Afridi reckons that veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik should have been included in Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the next month’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia as his presence would have been good for skipper Babar Azam.

Malik was one of the notable omissions in the squad despite being a seasoned performer on Australian soil and also having a reputation for having played franchise leagues across the globe. Moreover, the 40-year-old can also play game-changing knocks in the middle order.

Shoaib Malik is a top choice for every franchise: Shahid Afridi

"He has played cricket across the globe and has done well everywhere. He is a top choice for every franchise. He is also supremely fit. Babar Azam would have gotten a lot of support if Malik had been there, even if he was on the bench”, said Shahid Afridi while speaking on Samaa TV.

"The selectors should have communicated with him if he wasn't a part of their plans”, he added. With another veteran Mohammad Hafeez having retired from international cricket earlier this year, Shoaib Malik was the last recognized experienced player for Pakistan. However, he has not been in the selectors’ as well as the team management’s scheme of things for a long time.

Surprisingly, Malik has not even been included in the Pakistan squad for the seven-match home T20I series against England starting September 20. While the reason behind this is unknown, Shoaib had taken an indirect dig at the selectors after Pakistan suffered a 23-run defeat to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final last weekend in Dubai chasing a manageable total of 171. 

Taking to his official Twitter handle, Shoaib Malik wrote, "When will we come out from friendship, liking & disliking culture. Allah always helps the honest."

It is to be noted that the Men in Green showed inconsistencies in the middle-order throughout Asia Cup 2022. They were in total disarray against Afghanistan chasing a paltry 130 before tail-ender Naseem Shah bailed them out with two sixes in the final over.

However, there was no one to rescue them in the final when opener Mohammad Rizwan was dismissed as the Pakistani middle-order collapsed like a pack of cards in the death overs.