Opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad, in an exclusive interview with CricketPakistan, has claimed that his absence on the international stage has forced fans to quit the following cricket.

Shehzad had been struggling due to a hand injury that required surgery with 32 stitches. The right-handed opening batter took almost a year to recover and missed the PSL's last edition after he remained unpicked probably due to the same reason.

Speaking to Cricket Pakistan in an exclusive interview, the opening batter claimed that his absence irritated the fans and told him that they stopped following Pakistan cricket after that.

Ahmed Shehzad has a number of mixed reviews as a cricketer and while explaining the negative comments he receives on social media, he said:

"There is an entire world outside social media but when I meet fans in real life, they tell me that they have left watching cricket since I haven’t featured whereas others claim they liked the previous team better."

The batter is hoping to make a comeback in the international team and remains confident that his day will once again come.

"I never thought I would play for Pakistan and back then, there were a number of openers available too. Fate works in mysterious ways but you have to ensure that you do your hard work," he added during the interview.