Following Pakistan's elimination from the ongoing T20 World Cup, speculation has arisen about the potential dropping of 8-9 star players, including captain Babar Azam.
Former cricketing greats like Wasim Akram, Salman Butt, and Shahid Afridi have questioned Babar's leadership and form.
Babar, who stepped down as captain after the ODI World Cup last year but was re-appointed by new PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, is now under scrutiny again.
Reacting to these rumors, Shahid Afridi emphasised the importance of Babar to the team, stating that Pakistan cannot afford to drop him due to a lack of suitable replacements.
Afridi said in a video on his YouTube channel, noting, "I saw on social media that they want to drop 8-9 players. I don't know what's the reality but this can't happen."
He went on to share, "You can drop 8-9 players when you have the next lot ready to take over. If you want to drop Babar, not as a player, do you have anyone to replace him? Do you have any performer like Babar? Do we have a replacement for Rizwan in our bench?"
Afridi also urged the PCB to prioritize players who perform consistently in domestic cricket over those who have only shown brief moments of brilliance.
He said, "If we continue to select players on the basis of 2-3 innings and ignore stars of domestic cricket, it's harsh on those who perform in the domestic circuit for years."
Pakistan's exit from the T20 World Cup was confirmed after the USA's game against Ireland was washed out due to rain in Florida.
Additionally, Pakistan will play their final group stage game against Ireland on Sunday at the same venue.
