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Pakistan had very high hopes from Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf in the Champions Trophy 2025 match against India on Sunday, but the star trio disappointed.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf. (Picture Credit: AP)
Former Pakistan men’s cricket team captain Mohammad Hafeez, who was also part of the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led side that won the Champions Trophy title in 2017 by getting the better of India in the final played at The Oval on June 18, 2017, wants the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to part ways with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf. Shaheen, Haris, and Naseem have been Pakistan’s first-choice pacers in white-ball cricket for quite some time now, but time and again the trio has failed to deliver for the Men in Green.
They conceded more than 200 runs in the Champions Trophy 2025 opener played against New Zealand at National Stadium in Karachi on February 19 and in the must-win match against India in Dubai on Sunday, they failed to defend the target of 242 runs. The total of 241 runs was always going to make life difficult for the Pakistani team, but the manner in which Shaheen, Rauf, and Naseem bowled on Sunday, it helped Indian batters get comfortable, after which they played their shots at will.
Hafeez, who is part of Pakistan channel PTV’s Champions Trophy coverage, lost his cool at the performance of the star pace trio and said, “2023 mein Asia Cup shuru hua, hamari expectation thi ki ye trio—Shaheen, Naseem aur Haris—ye ready hai ki hume bade events jitwa ke de, failure. 2023 50-over World Cup, failure. 2022 T20 tournament in Melbourne, failure. Ye wala ICC Champions Trophy, failure.”
“It is time to realise that these guys, according to many people they have skills, lekin vo skills bada tournament jitwane k kabil nahi hume najar aa rahe hai, vo sabit nahi kar rahe hai. Let’s move on from them. Let’s bring other people. Let’s go with Mohammad Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Akif Javed, Mir Hamza. These guys are waiting for their chances. Inko khila k dekh lete hai. They are also Pakistani; they also have a Pakistani passport.”
He also slammed his former teammate and star Pakistani batter Babar Azam. Babar has time and again disappointed with his performance at the highest level against India.
“Similarly, Babar Azam. Babar Azam Pakistan ke liye sabse acha player kaha jaata hai. Maine maan liya. Vo Inzamam-ul-Haq nahi hai. Inzamam bhai used to win matches in all difficult conditions. Babar Azam has not won a match against India till date. He has been playing cricket for 10 years. He has never won a Man of the Series in SENA countries. Forget about Pakistan haar jaye. You should be the Man of the Series. Never. Kabhi Australia mein jaa ke one-day jitwaya hai unhone? He has never won a Man of the Series in England.”
“Hume realise karna padega ki jinke upar hume lagta hai ki ye hume jitwaenge, they are not bringing that performance. Let’s move on from them. It’s time; give equal opportunity to other people who were waiting in the system. They are performing well.”
“Abhi PSL aayega, saare dobara hero zinda ho jayenge. Hume international stars chahiye, PSL ke ishtihari superstar humne bade dekh liye, hume international tournament jitwane wale players chahiye, let’s try some different people,” he added.
For more in-depth coverage of the Champions Trophy, check out the latest Points Table to see where your favorite team stands. Stay updated on the tournament’s top performers with the Most Runs and Most Wickets leaderboards. Keep following for all the latest updates!
