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'If Change Was Necessary...' - Shahid Afridi Cranky At PCB For Replacing-Son In-Law With Babar

Shaheen Afridi's T20I captaincy stint lasted for few months (x.com)Shaheen Afridi's T20I captaincy stint lasted for few months (x.com)

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has weighed in on the recent appointment of Babar Azam as the captain of the white-ball formats. Afridi voiced his surprise regarding the decision made by the senior officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), affirming his belief that Mohammad Rizwan would have been the best choice for the position. 

Nevertheless, Afridi offered his full support and best wishes to Babar for his second captaincy stint.

The PCB recently announced the re-appointment of Babar as the captain of Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team, replacing Shaheen Shah Afridi, who happens to be Shahid Afridi's son-in-law. 

Babar, who previously led the team across all formats until the 2023 World Cup, will now lead the team in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.

This decision follows Pakistan’s disappointing 4-1 series loss against New Zealand under Shaheen's captaincy. Just days prior to the announcement, reports suggested Shaheen would be removed as captain, prompting Shahid Afridi to advocate for giving Shaheen a longer run.

However, with Shaheen losing his captaincy, Shahid was surprised by the decision taken by the experienced members of the selection committee. He maintained that if a change was necessary, Rizwan would have been the ideal choice.

"I am surprised by the decision by very experienced cricketers in the selection committee. I still believe that if change was necessary then Rizwan was the best choice. But since now the decision has been made I offer my full support and best wishes to team Pakistan and Babar Azam,"  Shahid Afridi wrote on X.

The decision to re-appoint Babar as captain received mixed reactions from the cricketing community. While some believed it was a vindication for Babar after his removal from captaincy, others were not pleased with him returning to the role after serving for four years.

Despite the varied opinions, all attention is now focused on Babar as he prepares to lead Pakistan in upcoming challenges, beginning with the series against New Zealand. Babar aims to set the tone for Pakistan’s journey towards glory in the T20 World Cup.