Shahid Afridi, the former all-rounder, has expressed astonishment at Babar Azam’s appointment as Pakistan’s T20I captain, replacing Shaheen Afridi.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced Babar Azam’s leadership in white-ball cricket, including ODIs and T20Is, following a unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee.
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Shaheen Afridi, who is Shahid Afridi’s son-in-law, lost the T20I captaincy after leading Pakistan in just one series against New Zealand earlier this year, which Pakistan lost. Moreover, Shaheen’s team in the recent Pakistan Super League, Lahore Qalandars, finished at the bottom of the table.
Shahid Afridi expressed surprise at the decision made by the experienced cricketers on the selection committee. He suggested that if a leadership change was necessary, Mohammad Rizwan would have been a better choice, in his opinion.
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“I am surprised by the decision made by the very experienced cricketers in the selection committee,” Afridi expressed on X.
“I still believe that if a change was necessary, then Rizwan would have been the best choice! But since the decision has been made, I offer my full support and best wishes to team Pakistan and Babar Azam,” he added.
Babar’s first task as captain will be leading Pakistan in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home, starting from April 18.