The PCB and Shaheen Shah Afridi have reached an uneasy truce after PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the player in Kakul earlier today. Afridi, who was deposed as Pakistan T20I captain after just one series, was thoroughly disgruntled with the manner of his sacking and the lack of communication from the board. Relations deteriorated further when the PCB put out a statement on their website containing quotes from Afridi, ostensibly offering Babar Azam, the incoming captain, his full support and stating it was an honour to lead Pakistan.
ESPNcricinfo understands that while Afridi still feels his concerns have not been addressed appropriately, the player was willing to put the saga behind him and move on.
Afridi was incensed by a statement containing words which were neither approved nor said by him, and ESPNcricinfo understands the PCB acknowledged to the player that an internal error had been made on the board’s part. Though Afridi continues to feel the manner of his sacking was neither fair nor transparent, it is understood relations with Babar – a long-time close friend of Afridi’s – remain strong.
There are no concerns about Afridi being unavailable for Pakistan’s upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which begins later this month in Rawalpindi, with the fast bowler looking to turn his focus back on his game.
Afridi’s obvious displeasure was significant enough for PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to head to Kakul, where the Pakistan players are training at a military camp. The PCB, for its part, released a statement saying the chairman met the players “to gather firsthand insights into the training camp”.
The PCB released a photograph of Naqvi and Afridi shaking hands, though it is understood no individual discussion at length between the pair took place. “The chairman also took the opportunity to interact with the players, personally commending them for their dedication and active participation in the camp. He expressed satisfaction over the players’ enthusiasm and commitment towards enhancing their fitness levels,” the PCB statement read.The camp ends on April 8, with New Zealand arriving in Pakistan on April 14 to play 5 T20Is from April 18 to 27.
Batsman Babar Azam made a return to the captaincy of the men’s cricket team on Sunday after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that he would lead the Green Shirts in ODIs and T20s as part of a “strategic move”.In a post on social media platform X, the PCB said, “Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain.”
It said the decision was made following a “unanimous recommendation” from the PCB’s selection committee and its chairman Mohsin Naqvi.The PCB also shared a video clip from a meeting between Babar and Naqvi.
In a press release issued later in the day, the board said the decision was taken as part of a “strategic move aimed at ensuring player well-being and peak performance”.It said Shaheen Shah Afridi had “undeniably proven himself as a star fast bowler” by leading Pakistan’s pace attack over the years but the board recognisesd the importance of rotation and rest to maintain his peak performance.
“This decision aligns with board’s commitment to safeguarding the longevity of the players, especially fast bowlers given their injury timelines in the past two years.”The PCB said that keeping in mind workload management, the decision was to ensure that the main bowlers remained at the top of their game.
“The board does not want the national men’s team to run into injury crisis concerning the bowling resources as seen before the ICC T20 World Cup 2022, where Shaheen had to be closely looked after and ICC ODI Cricket World Cup 2023, where the team didn’t have the services of Naseem Shah.”
Meanwhile, Shaheen said that it was an “absolute honour” to lead the Green Shirts and he would always cherish the memories and the opportunity.
