In a remarkable turn of events, left-arm bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has so far emerged as the front-runner for the important role, is set to be named the new vice-captain of the Pakistan cricket team. Babar Azam has been under fire for his leadership during the just ended Asia Cup 2023 after the Green Shirts’ subpar performances against their traditional rivals India and Sri Lanka.
World Cup 2023: Shaheen Afridi to become ‘vice-captain’ of Pak Cricket Team
Azam has come under fire for his leadership throughout the competition, but he has also come under fire for his constant inclusion of vice-captain Shadab Khan in the playing XI despite his poor performance. Vice-captain Shadab Khan is experiencing a slump in both his bowling and batting.
According to statistics, he took six wickets at an average of 40.83 during five matches of the 2023 Asia Cup. Shadab Khan’s consistent selection for the team by captain Babar Azam has drawn criticism.
In light of this, Pakistan’s left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has 255 international wickets and two PSL championships to his credit (2022 and 2023), is expected to be named the team’s vice-captain in place of Shadab Khan.
Shaheen Shah Afridi demonstrated his leadership abilities in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), as he guided the Lahore Qalandars team to back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.
The left-arm bowler has played 52 one-day internationals (ODI) and 44 tests for Pakistan.
Zaka Ashraf, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee, is considering his options on a potential leadership change for the squad.
The PCB management committee chairman, who is unlikely to oust Babar Azam as the team’s captain before the huge event, has the final say in any leadership changes. Shadab Khan might, however, be replaced as Azam’s second-in-command by Shaheen Afridi.
It was previously stated that the team’s administration, which includes head selector Inzamam-ul-Haq and captain Babar Azam, is currently thinking of changing the 15-person roster for the major event.
According to sources, the likelihood of Mohammad Haris, Usama Mir, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Faheem Asraf qualifying for the World Cup has increased as a result of the team’s recent success.
