ISLAMABAD: Aaqib Javed, a former Pakistani cricketer, has suggested that Shaheen Afridi should be made captain of the national team in T20Is, citing his leadership qualities and commendable style of work.
Aaqib Javed spoke to a local cricket website, where he rated Shaheen Afridi highly and shared that the pacer did what none of the skippers did during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) so far.
Javed acknowledged that Shaheen Afridi led the Lahore Qalandars team to two consecutive PSL titles and became the only skipper to defend the title. He noted that Shaheen’s approach was positive and played fearless cricket.
“Even if you bring in Shadab Khan, regardless of the format, I do not see any variations or changes—particularly aggressive change. Or if you bring in Mohammad Rizwan, there would not be any apparent culture change.
If someone can improve Pakistan cricket and take the country’s cricket in the right direction, that is Shaheen Afridi,” Javed added.
The coach, who struggled to find a winning combination in the first four seasons of the PSL with Lahore Qalandars, was highly criticized.
However, the team’s development program worked for them as they found their feet in the PSL tournament. Under Shaheen’s captaincy, Lahore won two consecutive PSL titles in 2022 and 2023.
Aaqib Javed suggested that Babar Azam should remain the skipper in test and ODI formats. However, “Shaheen Afridi should lead the national side as a skipper in T20Is, keeping in mind the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup 2024,” Javed asserted.
Shaheen Afridi’s consistent performance
Shaheen Afridi is considered one of the most exciting young pacers in the world. His performance has been very consistent and has already established himself as an important player for the Pakistani cricket team.
If Shaheen is appointed as the captain for T20Is, it will be interesting to see how he manages the team and leads them to victory. Only time will tell if the Pakistan Cricket Board will consider Javed’s suggestion or opt for someone else to lead the team in the shortest format.
