Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has reportedly been excluded from Pakistan’s Test setup as part of a broader restructuring plan by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). According to reports, the PCB has invited 49 players to a training camp in Lahore, with 22 players shortlisted for the red-ball squad and 27 included in the white-ball group. Shaheen Afridi has been placed in the white-ball category and has not been selected for the Test camp.
Camp Schedule and Squad Details
Officials said the white-ball camp will begin on September 18, while the red-ball camp is scheduled to continue until July 10. Preparations for the upcoming tour of the West Indies are expected to start on July 15. Reports indicate that despite leading Pakistan’s ODI side, Shaheen has not been included among the players being considered for the Test programme. He is expected to join the white-ball camp on June 15 alongside other selected cricketers.
Shaheen's Test Career and Recent Performance
The 26-year-old left-arm pacer made his Test debut against the New Zealand national cricket team in Abu Dhabi in December 2017 and played his most recent Test against the Bangladesh national cricket team in Mirpur in May 2026. Across 34 Test matches, he has claimed 126 wickets. In Pakistan’s recent Test defeat to Bangladesh, Shaheen recorded figures of 3-113 in the first innings and 2-54 in the second before being left out of the following match in Sylhet.
Reports suggest selectors have raised concerns over a decline in his bowling pace during the Bangladesh series, where he was unable to consistently reach the speeds that have previously made him one of Pakistan’s premier fast bowlers. The PCB is also reportedly concerned about his limited participation in first-class cricket, with officials believing that a lack of sustained red-ball cricket may have affected his recent performances in the longer format.
PCB's Decision and Future Plans
Based on these considerations, reports claim the board has decided not to include the ODI captain in its future Test plans, while continuing to view him as a key figure in white-ball cricket. The restructuring aims to strengthen Pakistan's Test squad ahead of the West Indies tour and beyond.
