Shaheen Shah Afridi breaks silence on captaincy snub

Pakistan ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi finally broke silence after being snubbed from the national men’s team’s T20I captaincy, just weeks before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Shaheen took over as Pakistan T20I captain after Babar Azam stepped down following the team’s dismal performance in the ICC World Cup 2023.

The left-arm pacer however was removed from the post in less than six months after his appointment as Babar was reinstated as Pakistan’s white-ball captain.

Shaheen Afridi could only captain Pakistan in just one T20I series, a five-match encounter against New Zealand earlier this year.

Meanwhile, during an interaction with the media in Karachi, Shaheen claimed that losing the captaincy had little impact on him as he prioritises Pakistan the most.

“For me, Pakistan comes first. Then the team, and then me. I don’t live in the past, I stay in the present,” Shaheen said.

“I don’t think about the future because if your present is fine, then the future takes care of itself. Whether captaincy is given to me or taken away, these things are not in my control and I don’t play my cricket for these things.”

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Notably, Shaheen Afridi’s figures back up his remarks as the left-arm pacer, under Babar Azam’s captaincy, claimed 23 wickets at an average of 14.34, including six three-wicket hauls.

“I play cricket to serve Pakistan, and I’ll play it with respect and will win more games for Pakistan,” Shaheen added.

“I don’t look at the negative reports [written about me]. Because if I look at them, then how will I perform for Pakistan?”

“My intention has always been to fight for the side, and I’ll keep fighting. I don’t look at negative things. For as long as I play, I’ll do it with pride for Pakistan.”

READ: Oman’s Bilal Khan breaks Shaheen Shah Afridi’s ODI record