Karachi: Former batsman Shahid Afridi has opened up about Shaheen Afridi stepping down as the captain of the T20I team.
Shahin was replaced by Babar Azam, who was appointed captain of the limited overs side by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
“I want Shahi to focus on his cricket,” said Afridi.
“I always tried to keep Shaheen away from captaincy,” Afridi said, adding that most former captains, including himself, were not good at the captaincy role.
In a statement, the board said the change of captain was a “strategic move” aimed at ensuring the welfare and maximum performance of the players and that the decision reflects PCB’s determination to protect the longevity of players, especially fast bowlers.
It may be noted that Shahini has been appointed as the team’s T20 captain following Babar’s retirement from the key role in November last year following Dewan’s performance in the 2023 Asia Cup and ODI World Cup.
Elaborating on his thoughts on the team captain, Afridi reiterated his support for Mohammad Rizwa and recalled that he had advised the former PCB chairman to appoint him as the team captain in white-ball cricket.
Azam’s first assignment as captain is the T20I series against New Zealand starting on April 18.
