Pakistani pace sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi shed light on the strategic decision behind his exclusion from the third Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Afridi revealed that the management opted for a meticulous approach to "workload management" after the talented bowler delivered an impressive performance in the first two Tests in Perth and Melbourne.

Acknowledging the importance of rest in a grueling series, Afridi stated, "I played two games, and a lot of overs to be honest. They're just managing my workload, the medical team and team management decided to take a rest for this (Test)."

🗣️ "I played two games, and a lot of overs to be honest. They're just managing my workload, the medical team and team management decided to take a rest for this (Test)."@copes9 chats with Shaheen Afridi about the decision to not play at the SCG, and plenty more #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/VuNCaIeB1K
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 3, 2024

Despite missing the Sydney Test, Afridi showcased his prowess in the earlier matches, securing eight wickets, including a stellar four-wicket haul in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

His absence in the final Test provided an opportunity for the team management to explore additional options while ensuring Afridi's fitness for upcoming fixtures.

Expressing his disappointment about missed opportunities on the field during the Australian tour, Afridi emphasized the impact of dropped catches on the team's overall performance.

"I think that I can take more wickets, but unfortunately, catches win matches, and unfortunately we missed those opportunities on the field most of the time. It has been a good tour so far, and the last game that we played was quite awesome. As a bowling unit and as a team, we gave our best; the result was not in our hands, but we tried," he added.