Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has suggested that senior players Shadab Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi should be rested for the upcoming fifth T20I against New Zealand, which is scheduled to take place in Wellington on Wednesday.
New Zealand took a 3–1 lead in the ongoing five-match series with a major win of 115 runs in the fourth T20I. Opening Bat Finn Ellen played an important role in the victory, in which a blistering 50 -run knock was broken, while Jacob Dafi claimed four wickets to help the hosts seal the victory.
Already with a series out of Pakistan’s reach, Afridi believes that this bench would be an ideal opportunity to give players a chance to showcase their skills. He recommended that Shadab and Shaheen be rested for the final match to step into replacement and gain valuable experience.
“For the final game, players on the bench should be given an opportunity – with the series Lost, Shadab and Shaheen can be rested and replacement can be given an opportunity,” Afridi wrote on X (East Twitter).
Shadab, who made his comeback in the national team after the ICC Mains T20 World Cup 2024, has fought to make an impact. He has scored only 30 runs in three innings, with just average below the average of just 10. In the bowling department, the all-rounder has taken only one wicket in four matches.
Shaheen’s performance has also been disappointing. Left -handed pace has claimed only two wickets in several matches, which has a poor average of 66.50 and an economy rate of 10.23.
