Former captain Shahid Afridi has spoken out about the recent changes in the Pakistan cricket team’s leadership, lamenting the loss of both himself and others from the captaincy and emphasizing his want to have his son-in-law Shaheen Afridi concentrate on his own game.
Declaring in a statement, “I want Shaheen to concentrate on his own bowling,” Afridi further alleged that the left-arm bowler disregarded his advise and took on the leadership of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) team Lahore Qalandars.
Afridi said, “I always tried to keep Shaheen away from captaincy,” adding that he and other past captains didn’t think their time as captains would end well.
The senior cricket player’s comments coincide with the announcement last week by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that Babar Azam will once again lead the national team in Twenty20 internationals (T20Is) and One-Day Internationals (ODIs). The Green Shirts’ five-match T20I series against New Zealand is scheduled to begin on April 18.
In a statement, the board stated that the decision to switch captains was a “strategic move” meant to ensure player health and optimal performance, and that it demonstrated PCB’s determination to protect players’ careers, particularly those of the fast bowlers.
It is important to remember that the team’s T20 captain, Shaheen, was selected by the board after Babar resigned from his position in November of last year because of former PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf’s disliking.
