Aaqib Javed: “Because of Shan’s appointment as the vice-captain, it seems that Babar Azam and the board are not on the same page”
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Former seamer Aaqib Javed said the decision to make Shan Masood vice-captain of the ODI team made it seem as if captain Babar Azam and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) don’t see eye to eye.
Masood was given the second-in-command role for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand in January as regular vice-captain Shadab Khan was out of action with an injury.
Aaqib pointed out that the team management shouldn’t have done this as it raised questions about a possible rift between Azam and the board.
“Because of Shan’s appointment as the vice-captain, it seems that Babar Azam and the board are not on the same page. Everything revolves around the captain, as he has to plan and play the team on the ground, so the board must be onboard with the captain,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam recently captained the Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), while Masood represented the Multan Sultans.
In the 11 matches he played, Azam scored 522 runs, which included a century and five fifties, at an average of 52.20 and a strike-rate of 145.40.
Masood, meanwhile, made 236 runs in nine games, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 26.22 and a strike-rate of 124.86.
He was then picked for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, but didn’t play a single game as Pakistan lost the series 2-1.
He is now part of Pakistan’s side for their limited overs series against New Zealand, but wasn’t picked in the first four T20Is.
Azam, meanwhile, has made 111 runs, which includes a century, at an average of 55.50 and a strike-rate of 156.33.
Pakistan lead 2-1 going into the fifth T20I, which will be held on Monday in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan squad for T20I series against New Zealand: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Zaman Khan
Pakistan squad for ODI series against New Zealand: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Ihsanullah, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood and Usama Mir