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Shahid Afridi and Babar Azam (Source: X)
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reappointed Babar Azam as Pakistan's captain for white-ball cricket after sacking Shaheen Afridi from the captaincy position. While this decision was well-perceived by some experts, a few were against Babar's return. Talking about the captaincy, former Pakistan spinner, Shahid Afridi expressed his disappointment towards the decision and also picked Mohammed Rizwan as a captain instead of Babar.
I am surprised by the decision by very experienced cricketers in the selection committee. I still believe that if change was necessary than 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…
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) March 31, 2024
"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," tweeted Shahid Afridi.
The decision to bring back Babar was a shocker for everyone as he had stepped down from captaincy just four months ago. However, considering Shaheen's captaincy tenure during the New Zealand series and the PSL, the Board found it necessary to change the captain ahead of the T20 World Cup starting on June 2.
'The PCB Chairman had made it clear...' - Insiders reveal about captaincy changes in Pakistan team
As the major captaincy change happened in the Pakistan team, the rift within the team was quite evident. However, insiders revealed that Shaheen Afridi was given the news before making things official and he didn't oppose it but was unhappy with the limited chances he got as a captain. Afridi was sacked due to poor performance as a captain in the T20 series against New Zealand where the team lost, 1-4. Also, his captaincy in PSL wasn't that impressive either.
A source revealed, "The PCB Chairman had made it clear to the selectors that they must decide who should be the captain and also said they would be answerable for the performances of the national team in the future."