Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi has expressed his views regarding the change in captaincy before the T20 World Cup, from Shaheen Afridi to Babar Azam by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Babar, who stepped down as the white-ball captain in November following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup in India, was reinstated by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi on March 31st. This decision led to Shaheen being forced to step down from captaincy without prior consultation.
Shahid Afridi expressed his disappointment over the handling of the situation. He remarked, “Babar Azam should have supported Shaheen Afridi by declining the captaincy, affirming that Shaheen is our captain and backing his leadership.” Afridi emphasized the importance of unity and backing emerging leaders within the team.
Pakistan was knocked out of the T20 World Cup last night when the match between Ireland and the co-hosts USA was called off due to rain in Florida which meant that the Green Shirts cannot qualify mathematically for the Super 8s.
As the team prepares for upcoming international fixtures, the need for clear and supportive leadership is more critical than ever.
The instability in the leadership of Pakistan cricket in the last few months has played a pivotal role in their abrupt end at the T20 World Cup.
The Men in Green will now look to end their T20 World Cup campaign on a winning note by clinching a victory on Sunday against Ireland in Florida, where rain can disrupt play once again.
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