Pakistan’s newly appointed T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi emerged as a hero for the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as Qalanders won their maiden title in 2022 under Shaheen Afridi’s captaincy. Shaheen won two consecutive titles for Qalanders and was awarded the captain of the national T20I team. Afridi’s transition from T20 franchise success to leading the national side has proved challenging, as evident by Pakistan’s recent series loss to New Zealand. Let’s discuss the missing elements in Shaheen’s captaincy that prevented him from replicating his national team performance.
Shaheen Afridi’s Captaincy in the Pakistan Super League
Shaheen’s leadership and ability to inspire a diverse group of players demonstrated his potential as a captain. Before Shaheen assumed the captaincy, the Lahore Qalandars were not performing well in Pakistan’s most significant domestic competition, the PSL. However, after becoming captain, Afridi changed the complex fate of the Lahore Qalandars.
Interesting to Read: What’s Coming for Pakistan: Pakistan Cricket Team 2024 Schedule
In his role as captain, Shaheen Afridi led the Lahore Qalandars to back-to-back PSL titles in 2022 and 2023. The team included top players such as Rashid Khan, Sikander Raza, Sam Billings, Brook, and David Wiese, along with local talents Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Haris Rauf, and Zaman Khan.
Shaheen Afridi’s first assignment against New Zealand
As Pakistan’s captain in the series against New Zealand, Afridi faced a difficult task despite his achievements in the PSL. The Kiwis’ 4-1 victory brought to light the challenges faced by a team going through a transition. There were a few examples of individual brilliance, but there were also many that lacked the unity and strategic acumen that a leader should possess.
Analysis of Shaheen Afridi’s Captaincy Performance
With no settled batting order, middle order out of form and an inability to capitalize on key moments, Shaheen Afridi’s captaincy was exposed as a teething problem. Afridi’s captaincy heralded as a new era for Pakistan cricket, has drawn significant criticism for disrupting the opening pair of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam and not affording proper opportunities to youngsters in their optimal positions.
As a new captain, the learning curve is steep, but the expectations were high because of his success with the Lahore Qalandars.
Does Shaneen deserve to be Captain of the Pakistan T20 side?
After the resignation of Pakistan captain Babar Azam from all formats, Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi were appointed as the captains of the Pakistan Test and T20 formats, respectively. However, Shaheen’s recent performance, injuries, and workload as a fast bowler do not seem to be suitable for him to lead the side.
Shaheen recently participated in five T20 matches for Pakistan against New Zealand, and following that, he will be playing for Desert Vipers, where he is expected to feature in 9 to 11 matches. Subsequently, he is slated to participate in the full season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024. Following the PSL, Pakistan is scheduled to compete against New Zealand, England, and Ireland, involving a total of 11 matches.
In total, Shaheen will play 33 to 35 matches before the World Cup 2024. Given this demanding and tight schedule for Shaheen Afridi as a fast bowler, it appears challenging for him to play all the matches without adequate rest. Therefore, Shaheen Afridi’s captaincy skills will be put to the test under these difficult circumstances, making Mohammad Rizwan a more suitable option for the T20I captaincy.
Also, Read
