Shahid Afridi blames PCB for ‘Pakistan captaincy goof-up’ with Babar Azam vs Shaheen Afridi battle

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has slammed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for messing up with the Pakistan team’s captaincy ahead of ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Shahid Afridi feels Pakistan Cricket Board should have retained Shaheen Afridi as skipper for ICC T20 World Cup 2024. 

His views arrive after Babar Azam-led Pakistan team has been ruled out of ICC T20 World Cup 2024. USA has displaced Pakistan from the qualification to the Super 8 round from Group A. USA demolished Pakistan in their opening clash in a thrilling game through super over.

Later, Pakistan also lost to India to face two back-to-back defeats. Pakistan still had a slim chance to qualify for the next round, however, the USA vs Ireland clash was washed out on Friday. As a result, USA earned 1 point required to reach the next round with India. 

As last edition’s finalists Pakistan has faced a humiliating exit in ICC T20 World Cup 2024, fans and experts have targetted Babar Azam for his poor captaincy once again. Notably, Babar Azam also led the side in India during ODI World Cup last year and the team faced miserable defeats against India and Afghanistan. 

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Shahid Afridi blames PCB for goof-up in Pakistan captaincy

Speaking on the matter on his YouTube channel, former legendary all-rounder Shahid Afridi bashed PCB for their goof-up with the team’s captaincy ahead of ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Afridi feels the board should’ve retained Shaheen Afridi as skipper till the end of T20 World Cup 2024. 

“If the decision on Shaheen’s captaincy had been made and Pakistan Cricket Board had stated that he will remain the captain till the T20 World Cup, then I think Babar Azam should have supported Shaheen there”, he said. 

Afridi also feels Babar Azam would’ve supported Shaheen Afridi as T20I skipper in such a scenario as he both have played together for a long time. 

“He (Babar) should have said that ‘no, if you have made him Shaheen the captain, then we are ready to play under his captaincy because Shaheen has been playing with me for a long time”, he added. 

“If he is made captain and the selection committee has made him the captain, then yes I will support him and play under his captaincy. This is the stance Babar should’ve taken. Babar’s respect would’ve increased greatly that he has set an example with a remarkable decision,” Afridi further added. 

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No fault of Babar Azam in captaincy goof-up, feels Afridi 

Shahid Afridi also reckoned Babar Azam does not get the blame for the same as some of the selectors termed him a bad skipper. As a result, the selection committee should have tried Shaheen Afridi as a captain. 

“But this was not entirely the fault of Babar because some of the blame lies with the selection committee too since some of the selectors on record said that Babar doesn’t know how to do captaincy,” he further stated in his video. 

Notably, Babar Azam quit captaincy from all three formats after ICC ODI World Cup last year. Later, Shaheen Afridi was picked as T20I skipper and Shan Masood as Test skipper under the Zaka Ashraf-led PCB. 

However, Shaheen Afridi was removed after the team’s 4-1 loss in New Zealand in a T20I series. Later, the new PCB management under chairman Moshin Naqvi named Azam as the new skipper for ODI and T20Is after PSL 2024. Hence, there have been a lot of changes in captaincy in recent times in Pakistan cricket.