Akram, Younis criticize decision to rest Afridi for Sydney Test

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan pace greats

Wasim Akram

and

Waqar Younis

have voiced criticism over the decision to rest fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in the third and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
The controversial move came after Pakistan had already lost the series 0-2, raising questions about the absence of Shaheen in the farewell Test for Australia's opener

David Warner

.

Speaking on the decision, Akram claimed that the call was entirely Shaheen's and not influenced by the team management. Akram delivered a stern message, urging players to prioritize between aspiring to become greats of the game or focusing solely on financial gains through T20 cricket.
Scorecard: Australia vs Pakistan 3rd Test

"Straight after this, there are five T20s in New Zealand, and Shaheen's the captain. But T20 cricket, who cares? I understand it is there for entertainment and financial gain, but cricketers should know that

Test cricket

is the ultimate," Akram emphasized in a statement on Fox Cricket.
Younis echoed the surprise and disappointment, expressing his expectations of Shaheen's participation in the

Sydney Test

. He mentioned the promising signs from Shaheen's performance in the previous match, indicating a return to form.

"That is a real shocker for me because I was expecting him to be a part of this Test match. He looked good in the previous match. He started feeling like the old

Shaheen Afridi

and started to swing the ball, and the pace was getting better," said Younis, questioning the decision.
Shaheen's workload had been a point of concern, given his leadership roles in white-ball cricket, including captaining Lahore Qalandars in the PSL and participating in the International League T20 (ILT20).
The fast bowler is set to begin his T20I captaincy with a series against New Zealand just five days after the conclusion of the third Test.
With Naseem Shah injured and Haris Rauf unavailable for Tests, Pakistan face challenges in the pace department, further intensified by Shaheen's unexpected absence for the Sydney Test.

(With inputs from ANI)