Shaheen Afridi, the captain of Pakistan’s cricket team, is under scrutiny for his performance as the T20 World Cup looms on the horizon, with the tournament scheduled to commence in June this year.
The local media reports suggest that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has been advised to consider a change in leadership, particularly in light of Shaheen’s disappointing performance as captain of Lahore Qalandars in the ongoing ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 9), where the franchise languishes at the bottom of the points table.
According to the reports, discussions within the PCB emphasize concerns over Shaheen’s age, as the 23-year-old might lack the necessary maturity for such a significant responsibility. However, some board members caution against making a hasty decision close to the World Cup, fearing it could adversely affect the team’s performance.
If Shaheen is relieved of his captaincy duties, the wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan is tipped as a potential replacement. Nevertheless, former captain Babar Azam also emerges as a contender for the leadership role, given his experience and current success with Peshawar Zalmi, who currently lead the points table in PSL 9, while Rizwan’s Multan Sultans occupy the second spot.
Shaheen Afridi assumed the T20I captaincy from Babar Azam in November last year. However, the team’s performance has been lackluster under his leadership, suffering defeats in four out of five matches. Notably, Shaheen led Lahore Qalandars to victory in consecutive PSL editions in 2022 and 2023.
The upcoming T20 World Cup, slated to begin on June 1, will feature a revamped format with 20 teams divided into two stages before progressing to the knockout phase, departing from the First Round/Super 12 structure observed in previous editions. Of particular interest is the Pakistan-India match scheduled for June 9 at Eisenhower Park in New York.
The defending champions, England, clinched the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia by defeating Pakistan in the final.
