In a recent shake-up in Pakistan Cricket, Babar Azam reclaimed the white-ball captaincy, stepping into the shoes of Shaheen Shah Afridi in the T20I format. Azam’s return to leadership comes after his forced resignation during Zaka Ashraf’s tenure following the World Cup 2023 debacle, underlining the changing tides with Mohsin Naqvi now at the helm ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.
While Azam’s reinstatement was met with anticipation, the abrupt removal of Shaheen Afridi as T20I captain raised eyebrows among fans and pundits alike. Shaheen’s brief stint as captain, marked by a challenging series against New Zealand, ended abruptly with little prior notice, leaving many questioning the fairness of the decision.
Amidst speculations about Shaheen’s reaction to the captaincy change, the PCB released a statement attributed to him, expressing support for Babar Azam’s leadership. However, subsequent reports revealed that these statements were misquoted, adding fuel to the controversy surrounding Shaheen’s removal. Consequently, the fast bowler has demanded an urgent meeting to hold crisis talks with the board.
Clarifying the situation, Shaheen asserted according to the board’s fake statements, “It was an absolute honour to captain the Pakistan National Cricket Team. I will always cherish the memories and the opportunity. As a team player, it is my duty to back our captain, Babar Azam.” However, reports suggest that Shaheen never made these statements and was shocked to find them attributed to him.
The miscommunication has left Shaheen disheartened, exacerbating his dissatisfaction with the sudden change in captaincy. As a result, he has demanded a meeting with the board to address the issue and voice his concerns, seeking clarity and fairness in the decision-making process.
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