Image Source: AFP
[Saba Sports News] Babar Azam’s return as captain for Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team faces potential turbulence. Despite Babar’s cricketing prowess, his leadership role may encounter challenges, not least due to Shaheen Afridi’s dissatisfaction. Afridi, who had a brief stint as T20I captain against New Zealand, was anticipated to continue in the role but has been replaced by Babar for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the US and West Indies.
Afridi’s leadership, which lasted only five T20Is and resulted in a 1-4 series loss, was cut short unexpectedly. In the dynamic and often unpredictable realm of Pakistan cricket, leadership changes frequently accompany new cricket board administrations. The speculation is rife that Afridi’s ouster could be influenced by politics, especially with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) new chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, seen as aligned with the country’s current political leadership. Afridi’s connections with the prior political regime are rumored to be a contributing factor to his removal.
Rashid Latif reflected on the history of frequent captaincy changes in Pakistan cricket, noting the instability and the pattern of changes with new PCB chairmen. The controversy over Afridi’s captaincy removal has sparked discussions on the intertwining of cricket and politics within Pakistan.
“It is always the case in Pakistan cricket. When a new chairman comes, he changes the captain. Since the days of Imran it has been like this. After Imran, Javed Miandad came,” Latif shared. “Then came Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar, Salim Malik, Ramiz Raja, Amir Sohail and Moeen Khan. In between I was there too. Then came Inzaman Ul Haq, Mohammad Yusuf, Younus Khan, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi and the list goes on. It is unfair on Shaheen to be stripped of captaincy but that is the reality here. When a new chairman comes, more often than not the captaincy is changed.”
The PCB’s handling of the situation has also been questioned, especially after releasing a statement on behalf of Shaheen that he later denied making.
“It was an absolute honour to captain Pakistan’s national cricket team. As a team player, it is my duty to back our captain, Babar Azam. I have played under his captaincy and have nothing but respect for him,” Shaheen was quoted as saying by the PCB.
The board’s attempt to show unity through a photo of Afridi and the PCB chief shaking hands seems to mask an underlying tension.
As Pakistan cricket moves forward with Babar at the helm, including a home series against New Zealand and preparations for the World Cup, the focus on Shaheen’s role and the broader implications of these leadership shifts will be closely watched.