Pakistan will play three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against West Indies in Dubai later this month and the series could well be the final one for Shahid Afridi. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is willing to give a chance to the 36-year-old to play a part in the series and organise a grand reception for the player following the third T20I.
The three T20Is are scheduled for Sept. 23, 24 and 27. While the first two matches take place at the Dubai International Stadium, the third one is scheduled to take place at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
"Apparently the board and national selectors don't agree [that Afridi should continue making himself available for national selection] and feel that Afridi should retire gracefully although he can continue to play in foreign leagues and domestic cricket," a PCB source told Pakistan daily Daily Jang.
"The plan is to talk to Afridi and explain to him that since the selectors are now building a new T20 squad for the next World T20 there is no place for him. He will be offered the chance to be included in the Pakistan squad for the T20 series against the West Indies as 16th player and play in the matches," the source added.
Afridi had stepped down as Pakistan's T20 captain after the ICC World T20 2016, but said that he would continue to play with his side in the T20s. Sarfraz Ahmed was later named as the Pakistan's T20 captain. He was thereafter axed from the Pakistan T20 squad for the England tour, which took place in June.
