Shaheen Afridi’s omission from Pakistan’s Test squads for the West Indies and England tours came from tactical planning and workload management, selector Aqib Javed said in Lahore.
Aqib, a member of the Pakistan men’s national selection committee, said the decision did not close the door on Afridi’s Test career.
He told reporters that Pakistan now selects squads on a tour-by-tour basis. He said no selector or individual could decide a player’s long-term future.
Aqib said Pakistan reviewed recent red-ball performances before naming the squad. The selectors felt the team needed more pace for the West Indies and England assignments.
“After the last Test series, we felt that we needed more pace,” Aqib said while explaining the squad selection.
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He said Shaheen remained an outstanding bowler. However, he added that players must assess which format needs their main focus.
The comments followed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s announcement of Test squads for the two tours. Afridi’s absence drew attention because of his status as Pakistan’s leading left-arm fast bowler.
Aqib also linked the selection policy to workload planning. He said Pakistan wanted elite fast bowlers to manage physical strain across formats.
The PCB has introduced format-based central contracts as part of that approach. Aqib said the system aims to help players improve focus and performance in selected formats.
