Shaheen Afridi comments on his appointment as ODI captain

FAISALABAD: Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has expressed his pride in being appointed as the ODI captain of Pakistan ahead of the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, which is set to begin on Tuesday at the Iqbal Stadium.

The 25-year-old pacer replaced wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan as the ODI captain last month.

Speaking at a pre-series press conference, Shaheen called it an “honour and responsibility” to lead the national side, emphasising teamwork and respect for the management’s decisions.

“It’s an honour to represent Pakistan as captain,” Shaheen said. “Wearing the national colours is always special, and with this new role comes added responsibility.”

The left-arm pacer noted that Pakistan carried good momentum from the T20I series and were fully focused on maintaining their form.

“The boys are in good rhythm after a strong T20 series. Our focus now is to carry that energy into one-day cricket and improve in the areas that matter,” he added.

When questioned about leadership changes and his earlier stint as T20I captain, Shaheen responded calmly, reaffirming his commitment to Pakistan cricket above all else.

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“Our job is to play cricket and serve Pakistan in whatever role we’re given,” he stated.

“Leadership decisions rest with the board and management, and we respect that. My only focus right now is on performing well and helping the team grow in ODIs.”

The star pacer also threw his full backing behind former captain Babar Azam, who recently returned to form in the T20I series.

“Every player goes through ups and downs. Babar’s class is never in doubt,” Shaheen said.

“Just because he doesn’t perform in a couple of matches doesn’t make him a bad player. For the last four or five years, he’s been our most consistent performer and the highest run-scorer in both T20Is and ODIs.”

“Whenever our senior players contribute, the team ends up winning. Babar’s return to form is a huge boost for us.”

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