Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have invited the mighty New Zealand cricket team for a 5 T20I match series. According to multiple reports, it is assumed that Shaheen Afridi would be removed from T20I captaincy. PCB’s new chairman Mohsin Naqvi is believed to bring back Babar Azam as the rein in place of Shaheen Afridi who didn’t had a good T20I series against New Zealand which the Men in Green lost by 1-4.
With the T20 World Cup 2024 around the corner, such sort of changes in the leadership group will affect the team’s dynamics. PCB is going through a massive transition phase and we should not forget that under Babar Azam, Pakistan made it to the Semi Finals of T20 WC 2021 and final of T20 WC 2022 against all odds. If Babar Azam is reappointed then there might be change in the batting line up as well.
Give him the responsibility then give him time as well- Shahid Afridi on Shaheen Afridi
Shahid Afridi was seen interacting with the media and said that the board should give ample time to Shaheen Afridi before removing him from the T20I captaincy. Shahid Afridi pointed out that Pakistan’s biggest problem is that their system changes whenever the faces change in the board.
“I think that if you have appointed someone as captain (Shaheen) and given him the responsibility then give him time as well. The biggest problem with our cricket is that our system changes whenever the faces change in the board,” said Shahid Afridi.
“Whoever comes thinks whatever he is doing is the best for Pakistan cricket. If you change the captain then either the decision to appoint him was wrong or the decision to change him now is wrong,” he added.
Enthralling T20I series on cards
The 5 T20I match series between Pakistan & New Zealand is set to begin from 18th April. It will be interesting to see whether New Zealand Cricket (NZC) will send their strong squad to Pakistan as a lot of their cricketers will be participating in the IPL for their respective franchises.
It won’t be wrong to say that this 5 T20I match series will be a stepping stone for Pakistan as the likes of Imad Wasim & Mohammad Aamir are expected to make a comeback to the national team. The duo will strengthen their bowling unit and we witnessed Imad Wasim’s performance in the recently concluded PSL 2024 which was scintillating.