Shaheen Afridi excluded from Pakistan Test camp

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has not been included in the national Test squad camp as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finalises preparations for upcoming international series, according to official sources. The PCB has invited 49 players to a training camp in Lahore, including 22 players for the red-ball (Test) format and 27 players for the white-ball (ODI and T20) squads. The white-ball camp is scheduled to continue until September 18, while the red-ball camp will run until July 10. A separate camp for the West Indies tour is expected to begin on July 15. Sources said the PCB think tank has decided not to include Shaheen Afridi in the Test camp, while he remains part of the white-ball setup and is expected to report for training on June 15. Shaheen, 26, made his Test debut in December 2017 against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi. He last featured in a Test match against Bangladesh in Mirpur in May 2026. In his 34 Test appearances, he has taken 126 wickets. In his most recent Test outing, Pakistan suffered a 104-run defeat against Bangladesh. Shaheen returned figures of 3 for 113 in the first innings and 2 for 54 in the second. Following that series, he was dropped from the subsequent Test in Sylhet, where Khurram Shahzad was included in the playing XI. During the Bangladesh tour, concerns were raised over Shaheen’s bowling pace, which was reportedly lower than his usual speeds in domestic and franchise cricket. While he is known to consistently bowl above 140 km/h in the Pakistan Super League, his speeds during the tour were said to hover around 134 km/h. Sources further stated that the PCB is also reviewing his limited involvement in first-class cricket. Officials believe that regular participation in longer-format domestic cricket is essential for maintaining performance standards in Test cricket. In light of these factors, the PCB has decided to keep Shaheen out of the Test squad plans for the immediate future, while continuing to conside