What’s next for Shahid Afridi?
Interim chief selector of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Shahid Afridi stated that he is “available to help” after the ODI series against New Zealand concluded in Karachi on Friday.
Pakistan was defeated by New Zealand by two wickets in the series’ final game, which took place at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.
With this victory, New Zealand now leads the series 2-1.
After the final episode, Afridi expressed his gratitude to the PCB for giving him a shot at the top job and expressed his hope that the viewers were pleased with his risky choices.
“I appreciate the PCB giving me the opportunity to serve as chief selector for the #PakvNZ series. Thrilled to take on the responsibilities. Thanks to some bold choices, I hope I’ve lived up to the support of my audience. Willing to lend any assistance I can to the Pakistan Cricket Board,” he pledged.
The former national team captain offered his congratulations to the visitors and expressed faith that the Men in Green would recover from the loss and perform even better next time.
Prior to the home series against New Zealand, former Pakistan captain Afridi was appointed as the interim chair of the selection committee by the PCB Management Committee, led by Najam Sethi.
Haroon Rashid (a member of the Management Committee) will serve as the panel’s Convener, and Abdul Razzaq and Rao Iftikhar Anjum will round out the group.
After electing to bat first in the final ODI, Pakistan put up a respectable score of 281, but New Zealand was able to chase down the target in 48.1 overs.
The middle order hitter was incredible, racking up 63 runs off of 42 balls with four fours and as many sixes.
Devon Conway, batting first, scored a fifty after scoring a century in the second one-day international. The lefty batter crushed 52 runs on just 65 pitches.
Meanwhile, captain Kane Williamson contributed to the cause by scoring 53 runs off 68 balls.
With the Kiwis in a precarious position at 181-5 after Michael Bracewell’s departure, aggressive batter Phillips stepped up to the plate and forged a 64-run partnership with Mitchell Santner.
Usama Mir and Mohammad Nawaz each took one wicket for Pakistan, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. and Agha Salman each took two.