According to former Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Amir, poor workload management is the main cause of Shaheen Shah Afridi’s subpar performance for the team in all forms.
Afridi has received criticism for his recent performances for Pakistan in a number of formats, especially following the 2-0 Test series defeat to Bangladesh, when he hit a pace of nearly 120 kmph. Since 2023, he has only claimed 27 wickets at a startling average of 40.11 in 16 innings. The left-arm seamer was left off the Test team for the series against England and the West Indies due to his subpar performance.
Afridi was a great left-arm seamer who could move the ball both ways in 2018 before sustaining a significant knee injury in 2022 that was exacerbated while attempting to make a catch during the T20 World Cup final against England.
That’s the primary issue,” Amir continued.
Amir, citing an interview he conducted in 2021, claims that Afridi has struggled with poor workload management and is currently struggling to maintain his health and consistency due to the number of games he plays.
You can view the video if you visit Google or YouTube. Because of these experiences, I conducted an interview with Shaheen Afridi in 2020 or 2021. Amir stated on The Scoop by Wisden, “I told the media that you guys keep playing Shaheen Afridi; the time will come when he will struggle.”
He will have trouble with everything—pace, consistency, fitness, etc. You can now clearly see that he is having a lot of difficulty. He should be at the top because he is still young, but he is having difficulties. Thus, there is a problem. Additionally, workload management is crucial.
In four games while representing the Kandy Royals in the 2026 Lanka Premier League, Afridi has claimed seven wickets at an economy rate of 8.93.
