‘I want an aggressive leader’: Afridi snubs Shadab, Shaheen; backs Fakhar for PAK T20I captaincy

Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi has snubbed two names that are doing the rounds on social media as a potential replacement for Salman Agha as Pakistan’s new T20I captain – Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan. Instead, he picked Fakhar Zaman, an aggressive leader, for the job.
The latest reports suggest that PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi was also unhappy with the team’s flop show at the ongoing T20 World Cup, where they exited after the Super 8s. Even though Pakistan narrowly beat Sri Lanka in their last fixture, failing to restrict them within a certain score (to stay ahead of New Zealand on the NRR) sealed their fate.

While the PCB has also punished the players by slapping them hefty fines (PKR 5 million) for their sorry T20 World Cup campaign, the top brass is also contemplating making changes to the leadership group. With Salman’s position as the T20I captain in dire crisis, a replacement announcement is looming, with Shadab and Shaheen leading the race, per the local media.

Overlooking the two seasoned T20 campaigners, including his son-in-law, Shaheen, Shahid Afridi also snubbed Shadab as an option, saying he would not even pick him in the T20I squad, let alone considering him for the captaincy.

“Looking at his performance, I wouldn’t even keep him in the team, let alone give him the captaincy,” Shahid Afridi said in an interview with Samaa TV.

Explaining why Shadab is even in the conversation to replace Salman Agha, Afridi said, “If Mike Hesson stays on as the coach, he was also there at Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League. Mike Hesson became Pakistan’s coach after his stint in the PSL. From there, his association with Shadab started. The head coach is giving Shadab chance after chance.

"That’s why I said Shadab can become the next Pakistan captain. But looking at his recent performance, he doesn’t even deserve a place in the playing XI,” Afridi noted.

Shaheen’s performance was below par in the tournament, returning with six wickets in four outings, whereas Shadab’s numbers were also underwhelming for the premier all-rounder that he is, scoring 118 runs and picking five wickets in seven matches.

So if not them, then who?

Opining that Pakistan needs an aggressive leader for the T20I setup, Afridi suggested Fakhar Zaman’s name.

“Looking at the current situation, I would go with Fakhar Zaman. I want an aggressive captain. Right now, only one player fits the bill, and that is Fakhar,” he suggested.