Shan Masood throws weight behind Shaheen Afridi amid Perth Test failure

Pakistan Test skipper, Shan Masood, has offered unwavering support to fast bowler Shaheen Afridi in the aftermath of his challenging performance in the opening Test against Australia in Perth.

In a recent media conference, Masood acknowledged the difficulty of returning from a serious injury, particularly for a fast bowler like Afridi, who faced obstacles related to pace and the physical demands of bowling. 

Drawing from his own experience with a similar injury, the skipper highlighted Afridi's commendable discipline and willpower in making a successful comeback.

"Returning from a serious injury is never easy, especially for a fast bowler like Shaheen who faced challenges with his pace and the forces involved in bowling. His comeback shows immense discipline and willpower. Having experienced a similar injury, I understand the difficulties. Shaheen has been a standout performer for Pakistan in all formats, and occasional challenges are part of the game. Despite plays and misses, he bowled well in Perth, and as an opposition team, sometimes you play off the best bowler and then capitalize," Shan Masood said.

Despite some tough luck in Perth, the left-hand batter expressed optimism about the young pacer's ability to swiftly turn the tide of a match in Pakistan's favor. 

"Shaheen was expensive, but that's his style. Despite some tough luck in Perth, he has the potential to turn a match around instantly. We're optimistic about his performance for Pakistan here," he said.

It is worth noting that the Boxing Day match between Pakistan and Australia is scheduled to take place from December 26 to December 30 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Australia named an unchanged XI on Monday for the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as they look to seal the series against Pakistan.

Pakistan also named a 12-man squad with Sarfaraz Ahmed and speedster Faheem Ashraf axed.

Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Pakistan XII: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (capt), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Agha Salman, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamer Jamal, Sajid Khan