Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has advocated for consistency in the team’s captaincy to improve results amidst speculation surrounding Shaheen Afridi’s tenure as T20I captain.
Afridi assumed the role of Pakistan’s T20I captain late last year following Babar Azam’s resignation. The talented fast bowler has led the team in the recent series against New Zealand, during which Pakistan endured a 1-4 loss.
Afterward, under Afridi’s leadership, Lahore Qalandars ended up at the bottom of the ongoing 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL), winning just one out of their 10 matches.
During the post-match press conference following Islamabad United’s victory, advancing them to the grand final, their captain Shadab Khan discussed the challenges of captaincy in Pakistan.
“Even now, look, we’ve given Shaheen a series, and we’re contemplating changing his captaincy. It shouldn’t be like this because in the long term, one should be given a chance to captain properly according to his process, and his method.”
“Because we want to experiment, win series as well, which could lead to issues,” said Shadab.
Afridi’s selection as T20I captain followed his success in guiding the Qalandars to consecutive titles in 2022 and 2023. Pakistan’s upcoming T20I fixtures include a five-match series at home against New Zealand, followed by four matches against England, leading up to the World Cup in June.
“Immediate transformations aren’t possible with new additions”- Shadab Khan
Shadab Khan urged patience for a new captain, emphasizing the importance of allowing them to experience setbacks and learn from them rather than expecting immediate success.
Prior to Afridi’s tenure, Babar Azam captained the T20I team with considerable success, securing victory in 42 out of 71 matches. He also led the team to the semi-finals and finals of the 2021 and 2022 T20 World Cups.
“Whenever you bring someone in, things can’t change immediately. It takes time. We want many things to change immediately, but that’s not how it works; it’s a process. In this process, there are mostly failures in the beginning, and it’s important to see how we accept those failures,” said Shadab.
“A captain has his own thought process, and right now, it’s unclear because of discussions about changing the captain after just one series. With the World Cup, I think we need to identify players for the long run so that by the time we reach the World Cup, our issues are resolved,” he added.
Pakistan will commence their 2024 T20 World Cup journey against co-hosts USA in Dallas on June 6. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash will take place three days later in New York on June 9.
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