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'Shaheen Afridi Should Captain' - Shoaib Malik Wants Babar Azam To Call It Quits

image-lnst0wckBabar Azam during India's run-riot at the 2023 World Cup (x.com)

Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik believes current skipper Babar Azam should step down from his role and make way for Shaheen Afridi for the high-profile job. The legendary all-rounder expressed his views after the ‘Men in Green’ slumped to a huge defeat against India at the 2023 World Cup in Ahmedabad.

Malik is of the opinion that Pakistan’s performance has not been improving under Babar’s leadership, and the star batter should focus on winning matches for his country merely as a player instead.


Shoaib Malik backs Shaheen Afridi to become Pakistan captain

Shoaib Malik, who served as Pakistan captain during his playing days, criticized Babar Azam by claiming that there have been no signs of improvement in team’s performance under his leadership. While speaking with a local channel in Pakistan, the 41-year-old said:

"I gave an opinion in the past as well that Babar Azam should leave captaincy. This is my personal opinion. Babar does not think out of the box as a captain. He is doing captaincy but the improvement is not coming. He can do wonders for Pakistan as a player."

Shoaib Malik also backed ace speedster Shaheen Afridi to claim the top job instead, and cited his impressive PSL captaincy record for Lahore Qalandars. It is worth noting that under Afridi’s guidance, the franchise won successive PSL seasons in 2022 and 2023.

"Shaheen Afridi should become captain in white-ball cricket incase Babar Azam resigns. He has done an attacking captaincy for Lahore Qalandars."

In the meantime, a Babar Azam-led Pakistan side handed out comprehensive defeats to the Netherlands and Sri Lanka to register two wins upfront in their ongoing 2023 World Cup campaign. However, they were handed a seven-wicket trouncing at the hands of tournament hosts India next up in front of a packed Ahmedabad crowd.