Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi clarified on Monday that he didn’t ask pacer Shaheen Afridi to push for captaincy of the national side.
Shahid reiterated that he wants Shaheen to stay away from leading the national side.
"I was scrolling through my Twitter [now known as X], and I saw that now they're running something with my name that Shahid Afridi stated that Shaheen Afridi can lead the team better than Babar Azam because Lahore Qalandars won a PSL trophy under his captaincy," Afridi clarified while speaking on a local news channel.
"I don't understand why they are saying such things. I express my views and perspective but people interpret it in their own way. Although I am the only person who keeps Shaheen away from the captaincy," he added.
In a significant development in Pakistan cricket, it was reported on Monday that fast bowler Shaheen will likely be appointed as the vice-captain of the ODI and T20I teams, replacing Shadab Khan. This decision comes amidst Shadab Khan's recent struggle with form, which has raised concerns.
Leg-spinner Shadab Khan has faced a downturn in his performance, with statistics indicating that he took six wickets at an average of 40.83 in five matches during the Asia Cup 2023. His inclusion in the playing eleven has drawn criticism, particularly from fans and experts. Captain Babar Azam has been under scrutiny for persistently selecting Shadab Khan in the team.
Daily Jang reported that left-arm pacer Shaheen is the frontrunner to assume the role of vice-captain, replacing Shadab Khan. The left-armer boasts an impressive international record, having played 27 Tests, 44 ODIs, and 52 T20Is while taking 255 wickets in international cricket.
It must be noted that Pakistan were knocked out of the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2023 after back-to-back losses against India and Sri Lanka in the Super 4 stage of the tournament.
Pakistan’s next assignment is the ICC World Cup 2023 in India, which begins next month.
- Shaheen Afridi
- Shahid Afridi
