"Always tried to keep Shaheen away from captaincy": Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi

Shaheen was removed from the T20I captaincy last week Sunday after leading the Men in Green in just one series, which saw Pakistan lose 4-1 against New Zealand. The PCB reinstated Babar Azam as the skipper of the white ball format ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Shaheen was dissatisfied after the Pakistan Cricket Board put out a statement on its official website regarding the captaincy change, which carried a statement attributed to him, which he did not say.

After the captaincy fiasco, Shahid Afridi wants Shaheen to focus on his cricket and revealed that he always wanted to keep the young pacer away from captaincy as for most players it didn't end well including himself.

"I want Shaheen to focus on his own cricket. I always tried to keep Shaheen away from captaincy," Afridi said in a statement as quoted from Geo News.

Shaheen was handed T20I captaincy based on his performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he led Lahore Qalandars to consecutive title wins in 2022 and 2023.

While announcing the change in captaincy, PCB stated that reinstating Babar was a "strategic move" that was aimed at ensuring player well-being and peak performance.

Azam's first assignment after reappointment as captain will be the upcoming five-match home T20I series against New Zealand from April 18 onwards. With the T20 World Cup just two months away, Pakistan would aim to enhance their preparations for the marquee event under his leadership.

It was under his leadership that Pakistan reached the final of the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022. They would now be hoping to go one better as the tournament shifts to the USA and West Indies.

Pakistan will feature in Group A of the T20 World Cup and will meet India, Ireland, Canada and the USA. Their marquee clash against Pakistan will take place in New York on June 9. (ANI)