Former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi recently revealed that he had recommended Mohammad Rizwan as the captain for limited-overs formats and expressed disapproval of Shaheen Afridi taking on the leadership role. Afridi, who is also Shaheen's father-in-law, voiced his concerns about the negative comments directed at him on social media, where he faced allegations of advocating for Shaheen's captaincy.
In the wake of Babar Azam's resignation as captain across all three formats, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Shaheen Afridi as the captain for T20Is and Shan Masood as the Test captain. Afridi clarified his stance on Shaheen's captaincy, asserting that he had never supported the decision. He went on to criticize the move, citing his previous reservations even during Shaheen's captaincy with the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
“I have never supported making Shaheen as captain. I also criticised the decision after he was made captain of PSL’s franchise Lahore Qalandars,” Afridi said on a news channel.
“Whose mouths should I shut? By reading things on social media, I’m just feeling regretful,” he added.
The cricketer also shared insights into a meeting with Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and PCB Management Committee chairman Zaka Ashraf. During this meeting, Afridi revealed that he advised against hasty changes in Babar Azam's captaincy for Test matches.
"When the Prime Minister asked me, I said, ‘Don’t change Babar Azam hastily; keep him as the permanent captain for Test matches. To Zaka Ashraf, I advised Mohammad Rizwan to be the white-ball captain since he has done great with Multan Sultans," Afridi emphasized.
Afridi's revelations provide a glimpse into the dynamics and decision-making processes within the cricketing administration in Pakistan. The controversy surrounding captaincy choices and Afridi's candid comments add an intriguing layer to the ongoing developments in Pakistani cricket. As fans and analysts digest these revelations, the spotlight remains on the new leadership and the challenges that lie ahead for the national team under Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood's captaincy.
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