Pakistan’s captaincy saga: PCB chief likely to meet Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam today

LAHORE: Babar Azam’s return as a captain of Pakistan’s white ball team has plunged into further controversies with Shaheen Shah Afridi raising serious concerns over a statement released by PCB citing quotes attributed to him on Sunday.

Sources suggested the concerns of former captain Shaheen Afridi will be addressed in the meeting today between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, newly-appointed skipper Babar Azam, and Shaheen Afridi at PMA in Kakul where players are participating in a special fitness camp.

International media outlet, ESPNcricinfo, citing sources said that Afridi had drafted a detailed response and was on the brink of making a statement in this regard, but the emergency talks with PCB stopped him at the last moment.

READ MORE: Babar Azam appointed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain

When the board announced Babar Azam’s return as white-ball captain on Sunday, along with remarks from Shaheen, the dispute surrounding the captaincy of the Pakistan men’s team intensified even further.

The sources claimed that the pacer was “furious” over the situation and that this did not sit well with him. Shaheen, who was removed as captain unceremoniously after days of confusion, will share his “concerns” during the meeting with the PCB chief. Naqvi will also discuss the team’s plans with Babar and Shaheen, the sources added.

Shaheen Afridi ‘extremely unhappy’ over PCB statement

Earlier, sources close to Shaheen Afridi shared that the pacer was extremely unhappy with the PCB for releasing the statement attributed to him without first speaking to him.

PCB statement, quoting Shaheen Afridi said, “It was an absolute honor to captain the Pakistan National Cricket Team. I will always cherish the memories and the opportunity. As a team player, It is my duty to back our captain, Babar Azam. I have played under his captaincy and have nothing but respect for him. I will try to help him on and off the field. We are all one. Our aim is the same, to help Pakistan become the best team in the world.”

Furthermore, Afridi was quoted in the PCB statement as saying, “Babar Azam, with his proven leadership skills and remarkable consistency, is well-equipped to lead the team. His past captaincy record speaks for itself. Under his leadership, Pakistan beat India for the first time in a World Cup encounter back in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. In the 2022 T20 World Cup, he led the team to the final. This was Pakistan’s first final in a World Cup since 2009. His appointment as captain reflects PCB’s confidence in his ability to inspire and unite the team towards success.”