Last Updated: December 25, 2022, 2:42 PM IST
Still of Shahid Afridi from 2010, biting the ball during a game against Australia in Perth
Danish Kaneria took a brutal dig at Afridi, sharing a picture in which the latter could be seen tampering the ball with his teeth
Former captain Shahid Afridi getting named as Pakistan’s interim chief selector has left the country’s cricket fraternity divided. On Saturday evening, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi announced that Afridi, along with Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar, will form an Interim Selection Committee for the New Zealand tour, starting Monday in Karachi.
Sethi, taking to his official Twitter account, wrote, “I am pleased to announce, with immediate effect, an Interim Selection Committee for the New Zealand tour. It comprises Shahid Afridi (Chief Selector), Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar, with Haroon Rashid as Convenor.”
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The decision received mixed reactions from the Pakistan cricket fraternity. Former spinner Danish Kaneria took a brutal dig at Afridi, sharing a picture in which the latter could be seen tampering the ball with his teeth.
The photo shared by Kaneria is a still from the game between Pakistan and Australia, played a decade ago, in 2010, in Perth. The skipper was caught by TV cameras while biting the ball on a couple of occasions. This was reported to the on-field umpires by the TV umpire and, after a chat with Afridi, the umpires changed the ball.
Afridi had to face the consequences as he was banned for 2 T20Is. He admitted to tampering the ball, adding that the practice was common among all teams.
“I shouldn’t have done it. It just happened. I was trying to help my bowlers and win a match, one match. There is no team in the world that doesn’t tamper with the ball. My methods were wrong. I am embarrassed, I shouldn’t have done it. I just wanted to win us a game but this was the wrong way to do it,” he had told to Pakistani media.
Immediate action by chief selector Afridi
Hours after being named as the interim chief selector, Afridi added pacers Mir Hamza and Shahnawaz Dahani and off-spinner Sajid Khan to the squad. The PCB stated that the decision was taken after a conversation with Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
“As such, and taking into consideration recent form and performances, we have added fast bowlers Mir Hamza and Shahnawaz Dahani, and off-spinner Sajid Khan. I am confident the inclusion of three additional bowling resources will give Babar Azam more options to field the best available squad for the first Test,” Afridi said.
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