'They deserve respect': Shahid Afridi rallies behind Shehzad, Akmal after PSL 11 snub

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and legendary all-rounder Shahid Afridi came out in support of experienced national cricketers Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal after the duo were overlooked at the historic Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 player auction.

The marquee league, which commenced in 2016 with five teams and was later expanded to six sides in 2018, is set to enter a new era with the addition of two new franchises – Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen and Sialkot Stallionz.

For the highly anticipated 11th edition, slated to run from March 26 to May 3, the eight teams formed their respective squads through the players' auction, rather than the draft – a player selection model that had remained in effect for the first 10 seasons.

A total of 103 players found buyers during the historic auction, but a host of notable names failed to attract any buyer; among those were Akmal and Shehzad, who were part of Quetta Gladiators' squad that won the coveted title in 2019.

For the unversed, Shehzad last featured in the PSL in the 2020 edition, while Akmal's last appearance in the marquee league came in the 2023 edition with the Gladiators.

The duo's absence from the marquee league became a point of debate among cricket fans and fraternity alike after a video of Shehzad having an emotional breakdown when asked to share his feelings on the PSL snub during Geo News' programme Haarna Mana Hai went viral on social media earlier this week.

The ongoing chatter was also joined by the duo's former national cricket team captain Afridi, who stressed that they deserve respect and should not be overlooked to such an extent.

He further called for more opportunities for Akmal and Shehzad, emphasising that they have been training and playing regularly despite their time away from professional cricket.

"In my view, I believe that we tend to ignore certain players completely. I had hoped that after two new teams came in, some of our experienced cricketers would be considered," said Afridi during an appearance at a local news channel's programme.

"I think it is necessary to mention them here — I have done so before, and I will do so again — whether it is Umar Akmal or Ahmed Shehzad.

"I feel they are still playing regularly; they are visible in practice sessions, in training, and in the gym. I do not think they should be overlooked to this extent.

"They deserve respect. Both have delivered outstanding performances in the past. They are quality players and fine cricketers. I believe they should not be ignored so heavily and should be given opportunities — they should have been given chances."

Afridi further asserted that he would have definitely picked Akmal and Shehzad had he been associated with a PSL team, urging that senior players often have attitude-related issues and thus different individuals should be dealt differently.

"If I were associated with any team, I would certainly include these two players. The key question is how to manage them. Senior players often have attitude-related issues," Afridi continued.

"Not every child in a household is the same; you deal with each one differently. Similarly, players must be handled according to their temperament," he added.

Afridi backed his stance by recalling his Pakistan captaincy days, during which Akmal and Shehzad were an integral part of the team, and asserted that he knew how to manage them.

The legendary all-rounder termed understanding players' strengths and weaknesses the "real art" of coaching and essential in getting performances out of them.

"When I was captain and worked with them, I knew how to manage them and how to deal with others as well," Afridi recalled.

"That is what man-management at this level is about. When people talk about coaching, this is the real coaching: understanding a player's strengths and weaknesses and coordinating with them accordingly, managing them properly, and guiding them in the right way.

"That is the real art of getting performances out of players. I have always strongly believed in man-management. Everyone has a different method, but you must know how to get the best out of each player and in what way.

"I believe Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad should have been part of at least one franchise team."