Home
Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali believes that Islamabad United skipper Shadab Khan can take up the mantle of captaincy for Pakistan in the future. This comes after the current captain Babar Azam's current poor form as both a batter and the captain of the team, putting him under immense scrutiny.
Under his leadership, the side failed to win a single Test at home against England and New Zealand. This was preceded by a loss in the final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, and succeeded by a big loss in the recently concluded ODI series against the Kiwis.
Hasan was asked whether Shadab can lead the Pakistan side back to their glory days as the captain, and the 28-year-old was quick to share his support for his Pakistan Super League (PSL) teammate. "He is ready [for the Pakistan captaincy]. He has proved himself as a captain in PSL. I think he has also led Pakistan in two matches, so I think he is ready. He is always ready for any challenge and gives his best," Hasan said.
The duo play for Islamabad United in the PSL, with Shadab as the side's skipper since 2019. He is also the limited-overs vice-captain. He was injured for the ODI series against New Zealand, with Shan Masood taking his place as vice-captain.
Under his guidance, the PSL team from Islamabad won 17 of their 32 games, losing the other 15. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly looking to take a page out of the BCCI's handbook and split the leadership roles across all three formats.
Meanwhile, Azam will captain the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He was in the Playing XI for Zalmi when they took on the Quetta Gladiators in a pre-tournament exhibition match, but the home side Quetta went on to seal the victory.
The 2023 PSL campaign kicked off on Monday, with the Lahore Qalandars beating Multan Sultans by a single run in the season opener. The match also marked Shaheen Afridi's return to competitive cricket after he had been sidelined for several months due to a knee injury.
Read Also:
WPL 2023 Auction: A complete and concise analysis of the most expensive buys
