Babar Azam resigns: Shahid Afridi's insight on leadership dynamics in Pakistan cricket
By Ovaise Shariff | First Published Nov 17, 2023, 3:40 PM ISTFormer Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi provides a glimpse into the recent leadership changes in the Pakistan cricket team. Afridi discloses that he advised against a hasty change in captaincy during a conversation with the Prime Minister.
Following the significant changes in the Pakistan cricket team's leadership, with Babar Azam resigning as skipper and Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi assuming Test and T20I captaincy, respectively, Shahid Afridi sheds light on the captaincy transition. Afridi, a former Pakistan captain and Shaheen Afridi's father-in-law, reveals that he advised against a swift change in captaincy during a conversation with the Prime Minister.
"I was of the opinion that there was no urgent need for a change in captaincy. The Prime Minister asked me about cricket and captaincy. I expressed my views, advocating for Babar to continue, particularly in Test cricket. If a white-ball captain was needed, I believed Mohammad Rizwan was the ideal candidate. I've mentioned this before," Afridi shared on SAMAA TV.
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Afridi further discloses his communication with the PCB chairman, advocating for Babar Azam to retain the red-ball captaincy, with Mohammad Rizwan taking on the responsibilities for ODIs and T20Is. Addressing concerns about favoring Shaheen Afridi due to their family relationship, Afridi asserts that he deliberately stayed away from such decisions to avoid accusations of lobbying. He emphasizes never supporting Shaheen for captaincy.
Meanwhile, Babar Azam, in an emotional announcement, shared his decision to step down as the captain in all formats. Reflecting on his four-year tenure, he expressed gratitude to the fans, players, coaches, and management for their collective efforts in achieving the number 1 spot in the white-ball format. Babar Azam sees this as a difficult but timely decision for the team's future.
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