Shahid Afridi backs Shaheen as T20 captain

Latest studies have emerged that Shaheen could be changed forward of the T20 World Cup with Babar Azam assuming the function once more.

Afridi, who’s Shaheen’s father-in-law, backed the 24-year-old and acknowledged {that a} captain needs to be given ample time to show his mettle.

“I feel that when you have appointed somebody as captain (Shaheen) and given him the duty then give him time as properly,” Afridi advised the media on Tuesday.

“If you happen to change the captain then both the choice to nominate him was mistaken or the choice to vary him now could be mistaken,” he added.

Keep in mind, Shaheen assumed the function of T20I captain following Babar’s departure, subsequent to their disappointing efficiency on the ICC Males’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Nevertheless, the left-arm pacer encountered a difficult begin to his captaincy, commencing with a five-match sequence away towards New Zealand in January this yr.

Pakistan confronted a 4-1 sequence defeat, and Shaheen’s future as a captain instantly got here beneath scrutiny.

The scenario deteriorated for the 23-year-old within the Pakistan Tremendous League (PSL) season 9 as two-time champions Lahore Qalandars, beneath his captaincy, managed to win just one out of 10 matches and completed on the backside of the desk.

The Qalandars’ disastrous PSL 9 marketing campaign ignited speculations that Shaheen Afridi could also be changed because the T20I skipper.

In the meantime, the newly-appointed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi addressed the continuing captaincy saga and revealed that the brand new choice committee would resolve concerning the nationwide staff’s management.

“Even I do not know who the captain will likely be,” Naqvi mentioned. “Whether or not Shaheen continues or a brand new captain is available in will likely be decided after the health camp [starting on Monday].

“There are a selection of technical components we’ll contemplate, the small print of which I don’t wish to go into. We would like a long-term resolution, whether or not it is Shaheen or a brand new man. After which we intend to stay by that man, as an alternative of simply altering a captain simply since you lose a match or captain,” he added.

It have to be famous that Pakistan host New Zealand for a five-match sequence from April 18. The Males in Inexperienced will head to England and Eire for 4 and two T20Is respectively forward of the T20 World Cup within the USA and West Indies.