Shehzad quits Pak T20 League in a blaze of fury 

Ahmed Shehzad has pulled back from the Pak T20 League in a huff, blaming a “deliberate effort” by all six teams to prevent him from taking part in the competition. He mentioned in a detailed statement that without elucidating he knew “ exactly the reasons why I’m not made part of the Pak T20 League”, he said he took the decision to leave to keep his self-respect intact.

It does not indicate a retirement from all forms of cricket, with Shehzad stating he had been offered contracts to take part in leagues around the globe, offers which he should probably accept now. His statement suggested disenchantment with Pakistan cricket saying patriotism “goes against now”, consciously suggesting other players had taken up remunerative league contracts around the world, while he chose to stay in the domestic league. 

"I have tried really hard in domestic cricket consistently in the last few years, and did reasonably well in the National T20 Cup just before the Pak T20 League draft. There seems a deliberate effort to keep me out, even when franchises have opted for other performers with inferior numbers than me," he said. "But when everything is pre-planned it doesn't really matter. I don't know whose responsibility it is to get top domestic performers in the Pak T20 League then."

The 32 year old last played in the Pak T20 League in 2020, primarily representing Quetta with whom he clinched the title in 2019, notching a half century in that final. He had a poor run in 2020, mustering only 61 runs in seven innings. He amassed 1077 runs in 45 Pak T20 League matches at a strike rate of 120.06, and was the first Pakistani player to score a ton in T20I cricket. 

Recently, there has been something of a push on social media to include the opening batter in a more high-profile capacity in Pakistan cricket. He did well in the National T20 Cup with 344 runs under his belt but unfortunately failed to find any takers at the Pak T20 League draft on December 13.