KARACHI (The COW News Digital) Former Pakistan national team captains Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik have strongly criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) following its decision to drop seven players mid-series after back-to-back Test losses against England.
The PCB faced immediate backlash after releasing seven squad members, including players who had not featured in the playing XI during the first two Test matches. Critics questioned both the timing of the decision and the selection criteria used for bringing in replacements.
Former captain Shahid Afridi expressed bewilderment over the board’s logic, questioning why T20 specialists were being drafted into the Test squad in England and why the head coach was dismissed after supervising just five Test matches. Afridi called the decision one of the most astonishing moves ever made by a multi-member selection committee composed of experienced former players.
Concurrently, former captain Shoaib Malik condemned the harsh public rhetoric surrounding the drop, stating that describing national players as being “sent back on the first flight home” was insulting to individuals who have served the country on the international stage.
