Former Pakistan cricket team captain Shahid Afridi has fully backed star players Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad, following their surprising exclusion from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11.
The first player auction for PSL 11 was held on Wednesday, where all eight franchises finalised their domestic and foreign squads.
However, fans and former players were shocked to see that aggressive batter Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad, who scored Pakistan’s first century in T20 Internationals, were left out entirely.
Speaking to a private TV channel, Shahid Afridi expressed his disappointment, saying, ‘I think we ignore some players too much. I was hoping that after the addition of two new teams, Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal would be part of the PSL.”
Afridi emphasised that both cricketers have remained active, practising regularly and maintaining their fitness, and therefore deserve a chance to play. “If I were in a team, I would definitely include Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal,” he added.
“Not every player is the same, and it is the job of the team management to pick the right talent. I believe both Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad should have been part of a single franchise.”
The exclusion has sparked conversations across the cricketing community, with many questioning the decisions of PSL franchises. Ahmed Shehzad was also present on a live TV show following the auction, expressing his own disappointment at not being selected for the eleventh season of the league.
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