ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly decided to permanently exclude ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi from the Test setup, with the fast bowler not included in the national Test camp.
According to the reports, the PCB think tank has not selected Shaheen Afridi for the Test team camp as part of a major restructuring plan. He has, however, been placed in the white-ball group, which includes 27 players.
The PCB, according to the reports, has invited a total of 49 players to a training camp in Lahore, out of which 22 players have been shortlisted for the red-ball (Test) camp, while 27 players are included in the ODI and T20 camp.
Officials said the white-ball camp is scheduled to begin on September 18, while the red-ball camp will continue until July 10. The camp for the upcoming West Indies tour is expected to start from July 15.
Reports confirmed that Shaheen Afridi, who leads Pakistan’s ODI side, has not been included in the Test camp squad. He is expected to report for the white-ball camp on June 15 along with other selected players.
Shaheen Afridi, 26, made his Test debut in December 2017 against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi and played his last Test in May 2026 against Bangladesh in Mirpur. In his Test career spanning 34 matches, he has taken 126 wickets.
During Pakistan’s last Test against Bangladesh, he picked up 3/113 in the first innings and 2/54 in the second innings, but the team suffered a 104-run defeat. He was later dropped for the second Test in Sylhet.
The left-arm fast bowler faced criticism over reduced bowling speed during the Bangladesh tour, where his pace reportedly dropped compared to his usual 140+ km/h spells in domestic cricket.
PCB also expressed concerns over his limited participation in first-class cricket, suggesting that lack of red-ball experience may be affecting his performance in Tests.
Based on these factors, the decision has been made to exclude the ODI captain from future Test selection plans, reports added.
