Darren Gough projects Shaheen Shah Afridi as Pakistan's future captain

Former England fast bowler Darren Gough has predicted Shaheen Shah Afridi will lead the Pakistan men's cricket team in the future.

In an interview with Cricket Pakistan, Gough stated that Shaheen is a "terrific talent", and he looks hungry for success. In this year's Pakistan Super League (PSL), Shaheen became the youngest skipper to win a significant T20 league title when his team Lahore Qalandars defeated Multan Sultans in the PSL 2022 final in Lahore. 

For someone, who had never captained at any level, Shaheen's appointment as captain of the Qalandars franchise had come as a big surprise to everyone before the start of the season, but, on Sunday night, he proved that the team management had taken the right decision. Gough referenced his success as Lahore Qalandars' skipper to project him as the future captain of Pakistan.

"Shaheen (Shah Afridi) is a terrific talent, he is hungry for success, he is very energetic, he enjoyed being captain of the (Lahore) Qalandars, I think he led them very well with loads of enthusiasm, he is definitely the future Pakistan captain," Darren Gough said to Cricket Pakistan.

Afridi was in terrific form with the ball in the County Championship, and he picked up 14 wickets in three matches for Middlesex at an average of 25.42. The left-arm pacer then took three wickets in two ODIs against the West Indies at an average of 24.

The ex-English cricketer further said that he admires Shaheen's teammate Haris Rauf, who's been a revelation of Pakistan in white-ball format. 

Rauf played for Yorkshire in the ongoing county season and took 15 wickets in four County Championship games at an average of 31.5. He has also snapped up four wickets in four Vitality T20 Blast matches at an average of 27.75.

"(Haris) Rauf is someone I admire, not much experience in the longer format but a fantastic performer in the T20 for Lahore Qalandars, Melbourne Stars, and for Pakistan; I watched him at the World Cup," concluded Gough.