LAHORE: Pakistan all-rounder Khushdil Shah has rejected reports that he is considering quitting international cricket following his prolonged absence from the national team.

Khushdil, who made his Pakistan debut in November 2019, has represented the country in 15 ODIs and 38 T20Is. His most recent appearance came during the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup last year, where he featured in Pakistan’s group-stage match against the United Arab Emirates.

The 31-year-old scored four runs in that match but was subsequently dropped from the playing XI for the remainder of the tournament and has not returned to the national side since.

Speculation about his future emerged after a two-month-old interview resurfaced on social media. In the interview, fellow Pakistan all-rounder Abbas Afridi claimed that Khushdil had told him he had only around four months left and would consider leaving Pakistan if he did not receive a national team call-up during that period.

The comments quickly spread online and sparked speculation that Khushdil could be preparing to end his Pakistan career.

However, Khushdil moved to clarify the situation through his Instagram stories on Friday. He described the reports as “fake” and “completely untrue”, firmly rejecting suggestions that he was planning to quit Pakistan cricket.

The all-rounder stressed that representing Pakistan has always been a great honour and his highest priority, making it clear that he remains committed to playing for the national team.

Khushdil’s clarification comes as he continues to wait for another opportunity at the international level. Despite his absence from Pakistan’s recent squads, his experience in both limited-overs formats keeps him among the players competing for a place in the national setup.