PCB’s recent move to reinstate Babar Azam as captain for Pakistan’s white ball teams, while sidelining Shaheen Afridi from T20I captaincy, has sparked debates and raised eyebrows among cricket enthusiasts.
Following Pakistan’s underwhelming performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Babar Azam stepped down from his captaincy duties across all formats. However, he’s back at the helm, ready to guide the team once more.
Meanwhile, Shaheen Afridi’s brief stint as T20I captain was marred by a 4-1 defeat against New Zealand, followed by a disappointing finish by his franchise team Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine.
Rashid Latif believes 90’s is back
Former captain Rashid Latif didn’t mince his words when he suggested that Babar’s acceptance of the captaincy could be seen as a form of revenge against Shaheen.
Latif drew parallels between Shadab Khan’s graceful response to adversity and Shaheen Afridi’s handling of the captaincy transition, implying missed opportunities for Afridi to demonstrate leadership maturity.
“Shadab Khan made a smart statement when he lost the series against Afghanistan. He stood up and said, ‘Without Babar and Rizwan, this team isn’t complete.’ That means I’m not the captain,” Rashid said.
“The same I was expecting from Shaheen when Babar was removed. If Shaheen had taken that step that day, he wouldn’t be seeing all this today. No matter how much friendship there is, Babar has taken revenge [against Shaheen],” he added.
Latif also expressed worries about a potential ‘falling apart’ if the team fails to deliver in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.
“I see this team falling apart. If they don’t win the World Cup, they’ll be seen crumbling. Winning the match against India is necessary. It feels like the 90s era has returned,” he said.
Babar Azam is set to lead the team once again in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, starting on April 18.
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