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Pakistan To Sack Shaheen As T20I Captain? Shadab Makes 'Big' Statement Before PSL 2024 Final

Shaheen Afridi with Shadab Khan [X.com]Shaheen Afridi with Shadab Khan [X.com]

Pakistan's ace speedster Shaheen Afridi has had a torrid start to his captaincy stint with the national side. After Babar Azam failed to meet the expectations as a leader, Afridi was roped in as Pakistan's T20I captain, as he had already led Lahore Qalandars to two consecutive PSL titles. 

However, he had a disastrous start as skipper, with New Zealand thrashing Pakistan by 4-1 in a five-match series. Furthermore, his captaincy record worsened during the PSL 2024, as the Qalandars managed a solitary win in ten appearances. 

Therefore, the talks of the PCB replacing Afridi as their T20I captain intensified following Lahore's horrendous run in the tournament. However, the pacer's national teammate Shadab Khan has backed him amidst severe scrutiny. 

After leading Islamabad United to the PSL 2024 final, Shadab dismissed the idea to change Pakistan's T20I captain, with the World Cup being around the corner. 

The all-rounder reckoned that the management must allow the left-arm seamer to employ his tactics properly by giving them a long rope as the captain of the team. 

"Look, we've given Shaheen a series, and we're contemplating changing his captaincy. It shouldn't be like this because in the long term, one should be given a chance to captain properly according to his process, his method," Shadab stated. 

He further explained how a drastic change in the leadership group might lead to disastrous consequences, with the marquee World Cup in the horizon. 

"Because we want to experiment, win series as well, which could lead to issues. A captain has his own thought process, and right now, it's unclear because discussions about changing the captain after just one series. With the World Cup, I think we need to identify players for the long run so that by the time we reach the World Cup, our issues are resolved," he concluded. 

His recent failures as a leader definitely took a toll on Afridi's bowling, as he had a topsy-turvy PSL 2024 campaign. On the contrary, Shadab has been exceptional with bat and ball and is expected to play a key role in the all-important final this evening.