Afridi wants PCB to review middle-order performances, suggests Shoaib Malik’s inclusion in T20Is

Former captain of the Pakistan cricket team Shahid Afridi, while congratulating the Pakistani team on winning the T20I against South Africa, emphasised the need to work on middle-order performances.

“Despite the victory, we need to review the middle-order performances where we seem to be struggling for a long time,” wrote the former all-rounder on Twitter.

He also suggested that since it is the T20 World Cup year, the team should consider bringing Shoaib Malik back.

Congratulations Pakistan on the series win! Despite the victory we need to review the middle-order performances where we seem to be struggling for a long time. I think Shoaib Malik must be considered again, especially since it's a T20 World Cup year

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) April 16, 2021

On Friday, Pakistan defeated South Africa by three wickets in the last fixture of the four-match T20I series at the Supersport Park in Centurion and clinched the series 3-1.

Pakistan, like South Africa, suffered a middle-order collapse as they went from 92-1 to 129-7.

However, Mohammad Nawaz kept his cool in the end and was aided by some poor bowling by the hosts, allowing the tourists to cap the tour with a 3-1 T20I series win to go with the ODI triumph earlier this month.

Pakistan will now depart for Zimbabwe on Saturday where they will play three T20Is on April 21, 23 and 25, followed by two Tests, which will be played from April 29 to May 3 and May 7-11.

Malik went past 10,000 T20 career runs when he scored 74 in a domestic game in Rawalpindi in October 2020. He is the third batsman to have reached the landmark after Kieron Pollard (10,370 runs) and Chris Gayle (13,296 runs).

The 39-year-old cricketer made his T20 debut in 2005 for Sialkot Stallions and has played 417 T20s in his career, scoring his 10,488 runs at an average of 37.06, with 64 half-centuries. He also has 151 wickets at 27.15, at an economy rate of 7.02.

In his international career, Malik has played 116 T20Is, scoring 2,335 runs at an average of 31.13, with 8 half-centuries. He has 28 wickets at 23.53, at an economy rate of 7.08.

Malik became the third batsman to reach 2000 runs in T20 Internationals after Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill. He reached the milestone during his 92nd T20 innings against Zimbabwe in Harare. While Mohammad Hafeez became the second Pakistani player to reach 2000 run-mark, number ninth in total.

The 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to be played in October and November 2021 in India.