End of the road for Shahid Afridi?

Dubai: Pakistan on Monday announced their one-day squad for the Champions Trophy by dropping their star all-rounder and instant cricket specialist Shahid Afridi.

His omission could well be the end of the road for Afridi, who has been struggling for form for over a year.

Middle-order batsman Umar Akmal, who has failed to produce consistent performances despite his enormous talent, has also been dropped. The Pakistan selectors met in Lahore on Monday and announced the 15-member squad to be led by Misbah-ul-Haq from among the 29 probables.

In 2010, Afridi retired from Test cricket to focus only on the instant cricket forms. But, despite repeated chances, he failed to deliver in both one-dayers and Twenty20 formats in which he was once considered as the best performer around.

A statistical study of his performance since 2012 reveals that he has taken only 15 wickets in the last 21 one-dayers. What’s more, once hailed as one of the most destructive batsman in the world, he has averaged only 19.

Commenting on the decision to drop Afridi, Pakistan’s chief selector Iqbal Qasim said: “Had he [Afridi] scored well at domestic level he could have earned his place. It’s always difficult to drop such a senior player, but ultimately us selectors have to take a decision for the sake of the team.”

It is understood that the decision to drop Afridi was hugely debated and resulted in a delay in announcing the team.

However, Qasim still believes that Afridi can stage a comeback.

“Afridi has been used as a bowling all-rounder but he was not up to the mark and couldn’t score at crucial occasions so we had to leave him out,” he said.

“His career is not finished and if he performs at domestic level, he can stage a comeback. He is an asset to Pakistan and, as long a player is performing, he keeps on playing. If he doesn’t perform, he goes out of the team.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan strengthened their fast-bowling attack in the absence of their strike bowler Umar Gul, who is injured. Fast bowlers Ehsan Adil and Asad Ali and batsman Umar Amin were picked, even though they were omitted from the tour to South Africa. The team will now have five specialist pacers and two spinners. The three all-rounders in the team are Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malek and the left-handed Amin, who can also bowl right-medium pace.

Pakistan will be in Group B of the Champions Trophy and will play arch rivals India, West Indies and South Africa in the early rounds of the event, which runs between June 6 and 23.

The team will train in Abbotabad from May 3 to 9 before leaving for Scotland to play Ireland in two one-day matches on May 17 and 19 at Edinburgh. They will also play Scotland in two one-dayers on May 23 and 26 in Dublin before starting their Champions Trophy campaign in England from June 6.