Mohammad Shahzad ready to quit cricket after being dropped from Afghanistan squad

Shahzad was replaced in the 15-man World Cup party by teenage wicketkeeper Ikram Ali Khil last week, with the Afghan team management citing a knee injury

Mohammad Shahzad has said his heart "isn't in cricket anymore" and threatened to quit the game after being cut from Afghanistan's World Cup squad.

Shahzad was replaced in the 15-man party by teenage wicketkeeper Ikram Ali Khil last week, with the Afghan team management citing a knee injury.

However, the 32-year-old - his country's leading runscorer in ODI cricket - believes he would have been able to make a quick recovery and feels aggrieved by the decision.

"If they don’t want me to play, I will quit cricket," Shahzad told local media in Kabul, according to ESPNcricinfo.

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"I don’t see myself playing anymore. If they (ACB) have a problem, they should let me know. I went to a doctor in London and he ... said that I could play after resting for two-three days.

"I was removed from the 2015 World Cup and now this one as well. I am going to consult with friends and family, my heart isn’t in cricket anymore."

ACB chief executive Asadullah Khan stressed the governing body's perspective in a statement to ESPNcricinfo.

"We can’t carry unfit players," he said. "We understand Shahzad was not fully fit when he still went on to play two games and this is not acceptable anymore."

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