Pakistan is set to play a home series against New Zealand which includes five T20Is, starting from April 18 in Rawalpindi. However, the team management has not announced this series nor the upcoming T20I World Cup 2024. After the new chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, arrived, the previous management was dissolved.
Regarding the management, there is a big question regarding T20I captaincy. Shaheen Afridi’s T20I captaincy hangs in the balance after significant questions were raised over his leadership. The Pakistan pace sensation’s T20I captaincy is under great threat due to his poor decision-making, which has cost Pakistan as well as Lahore Qalandars. His performance has not been up to the mark on both occasions. Today, we analyze Shaheen’s performance as a captain and also examine who the possible contenders for this post are.
Why did Shaheen Afridi’s T20I Captaincy issue rise?
Shaheen Shah Afridi, the tall fast bowler and captain of Pakistan’s T20 team, has had some doubts about his captaincy. Before this season, Shaheen led Lahore Qalandars to victory in the last two HBL PSL championships. But this time, the team’s performance hasn’t been great. They only won one match and ended up at the bottom of the points table. As a result, Shaheen Afridi’s T20I Captaincy is also under a lot of criticism.
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According to media reports, Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi receiving advice regarding to change for T20I captaincy. Some people think that Shaheen, who is 23 years old, is too young to be responsible for this job and needs more time to grow up. But others on the board think that changing captaincy just before the World Cup might not be a good idea because it could hurt team performance.
Now, the PCB chairman has passed the ball to the chief selectors and granted them the authority to make the final decision on the captaincy issue. Furthermore, the chairman stated that he might make some changes in the selection committee but would not interfere in the captaincy matter. The credit and blame will then lie with the committee, along with the coach and captain. Since they are responsible to bring results, they will be making decisions,” Naqvi said.
Babar Azam
The world-renowned batting superstar, Babar Azam, is once again being considered for the captaincy of Pakistan, a position from which he was previously removed under the chairmanship of Mr. Zaka Ashraf.
Babar has led the Pakistan team in 71 T20I matches, winning 42 of them, thereby equaling the record for the most matches won as a T20I captain with Afghanistan’s former captain, Asghar Afghan, who also won 42 matches. However, with Shaheen Afridi’s captaincy in T20Is now uncertain, it seems unlikely for Babar Azam to reclaim the captaincy, as Pakistan is exploring new options.
Shadab Khan
Shadab Khan, the other contender for T20I captaincy after Shaheen Afridi’s tenure, is facing uncertainty. Shadab bolstered his case significantly by securing the Pakistan Super League(PSL) title for Islamabad United. The Pakistani leg spinner performed admirably, contributing across all three departments—bowling, batting, and fielding. Moreover, he demonstrated active leadership by altering fielding positions and bowling strategies as a result he was named captain of the Team of PSL 9.
Additionally, he led Pakistan in six T20I matches, managing to win only two. Similar to Shaheen, he appears inexperienced and young to lead Pakistan at the highest level.
Mohammad Rizwan
Mohammad Rizwan is the frontrunner as the PCB is looking to change leadership for a shorter format. There is a higher possibility that Muhammad Rizwan will be appointed as the Pakistan T20I captain.
Mohammad Rizwan led his side Multan Sultans to play in the final for the fourth consecutive time and won only once while losing the third consecutive final. Through his captaincy, Sultan was able to claim the top-of-the-table position. Experts and stats have asserted that Mohammad Rizwan is the best captain of the PSL.
Moreover, he has captained other domestic tournaments for Pakistan and won titles for his team. Currently, the wicketkeeper-batsman serves as the vice-captain of the Pakistan T20I side, but reports suggest that Rizwan is likely to be appointed as the captain. The final decision regarding the captaincy issue will be finalized in the coming days.
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