According to reports, Aslam has struck a deal with USA Cricket that will see him spend two years and 10 months playing league cricket in the States and eventually represent the US.
Aslam, 24, recently decided to quit Pakistan’s domestic cricket in favour of moving to the US as he was distraught at being demoted to Balochistan’s Second XI for the National T20 Cup.
The Lahore-born cricketer was disgruntled after not being selected in the 35-member squad for the New Zealand tour despite his string of solid domestic performances in the previous campaigns.
Disappointed that I didn't get any chance to be in 35players for NZ tour and last UK tour,even after good last QeD 2019-20trophy, I was one of the most run makers, scored 864 runs(4 100's) average of 78, dropped from the Test squad after not getting a game in my last UK tour 2018
Shahid Afridi, who joined the Galle Gladiators squad after he missed his flight, has left the Lanka Premier League (LPL) midway due to a “personal emergency”.
In a tweet, the cricketer who his captaining his team Galle Gladiators, said that he has “a personal emergency to attend to back home”. He added that he will rejoin the team “immediately after the situation is handled”.
Unfortunately I have a personal emergency to attend to back home. I will return to join back my team at LPL immediately after the situation is handled. All the best.
The team management has said that owing to the quarantine rules, Afridi is unlikely to return. In his absence, Bhanuka Rajapaksa will lead the team, while Afridi’s replacement has not yet been decided.
Gladiators, who have lost all three of their matches will be playing tonight (Thursday) against the unbeaten Jaffna Stallions.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan media have revealed that Afridi is going back to Karachi to tend to his nine-month-old daughter who is reportedly unwell and has been admitted to the hospital. They also said that Lala joined the squad late because of his daughter’s illness.
“The same daughter is not well again and he will be leaving the hotel in Hambantota at around 7 pm for Colombo, where he will catch a flight for Karachi at 1 am,” a team source told the media.
Former Cricketer Umar Gul also commented on Afridi’s tweet to inquire if all is well.
Pakistan cricket legend Shoaib Akhtar has hit out at New Zealand Cricket (NZC) for threatening to cancel Pakistan’s tour after six Pakistani players tested positive for COVID-19 at their managed isolation facility in Christchurch.
Akhtar warned NZC to “behave” themselves for threatening to cancel the tour, accusing the New Zealand governing body of “treating the Pakistan team like a club team”.
“New Zealand’s comment that if Pakistan team’s SOPs (standard operating procedures) are not in place then they will cancel the tour, is below the belt,” Akhtar said in a video on his YouTube channel.
“I want to give a message to NZC that this is not a club team, it’s Pakistan national cricket team,” said the former cricketer. “We don’t need you. Our cricket has not finished.”
Akhtar went on to say, “You will get money for broadcasting rights. So, you should be indebted to us that we decided to tour your country in such difficult times.”
“You are talking about Pakistan — the greatest country on the planet — so behave yourself and stop giving such statements. Be careful next time. Pakistan team now needs to smash them in T20 series.”
“The PCB should show some toughness,” he remarked.
Akhtar also said, “If I was in their place, I would have given a statement saying that if NZC isn’t happy, we won’t play them and will bring our team back and we won’t play against you for five years.”
Earlier, NZC was appraised that some members of the Pakistan team had violated protocols on the first day of managed isolation. The entire team was given a “final warning” by the government for breaching rules.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Health stated that several team members had been seen on CCTV at the facility breaching managed isolation rules despite “clear, consistent and detailed communication of expected behaviors while in the facility”.
In a statement, the ministry said that the team as a whole has been issued a final warning.
The health ministry shared that the 53 members of the squad arrived in Christchurch on November 24 and were tested on day one, with the six cases coming as a result of the tests.
All cases were being moved to quarantine rooms within the facility. Members of the team will be tested a minimum of four times while in managed isolation, the health ministry informed.
While Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not officially confirmed the names, journalists have shared their pictures which include former captain Sarfraz Ahmed, Abid Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Rohail Nazir, Danish Aziz and Naseem Shah.
According to reports, the players are unhappy in quarantine, especially after the positive cases and the isolation feels like a prison sentence for them.
Players weren’t able to condole with middle-order batsman Khushdil Shah, whose father passed away recently. The process was carried out through phone calls, instead.
Pakistan is set to face the Black Caps in three T20 internationals and two tests, with the first match on December 18.
Shahid Afridi has responded to Haris Rauf’s yorker that dismissed him on duck.
It was a great and unplayable yorker Haris very well bowled! Please bowl slow to me next time 😜 congratulations to Qalandars for final berth. Look forward to an exciting match tomorrow. Thank you Sultans fans for supporting us throughout the season. https://t.co/GySOxr43ov
In an interview with ESPN Cric Info Haris, while talking about the ball and his apology to Lala, said, “I have an aggressive style of celebration after taking a wicket, but when I dismissed Shahid Bhai yesterday, it was different as he is a superstar. He has given a lot of performances and won matches for Pakistan. So, it was essential for me to give him respect. I was not apologising, I was giving him respect.”
In response to the interview, Afridi remarked: “It was a great and unplayable yorker, Haris. Very well bowled.”
“Please bowl slow to me next time,” he added.
Afridi also congratulated Qalandars for their win and hoped for an exciting final between Lahore and Karachi. He also thanked his fans for supporting Multan Sultans this season.
Earlier in another interview, Rauf also said that Lahore versus Karachi is like an India-Pakistan match.
Lahore and Karachi will be battling tonight (November 17) for half a million dollars and glittery golden PSL Trophy.
