Basit Ali: “Shaheen can lead Pakistan in ODI and Test cricket if he remains fit”
Image courtesy of: Unsplash
Former batsman Basit Ali believes left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi is the perfect candidate to succeed Babar Azam as Pakistan’s ODI and Test captain.
Pressure has been mounting on Azam as Pakistan have suffered a string of poor results under his leadership.
Afridi, meanwhile, has been showing his captaincy skills in domestic cricket as he recently led the Lahore Qalandars to their second straight Pakistan Super League (PSL) title.
Given how well the 23-year-old has done, Basit thinks it’s time Pakistan get rid of Azam as captain and pass the reins to Afridi.
“Shaheen can lead Pakistan in ODI and Test cricket if he remains fit,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
Pakistan recently lost 2-1 in their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah, but neither Afridi nor Azam were picked as they were rested.
The men in green are now facing New Zealand in a limited overs series and lead 2-1 in the five T20Is being played after the fourth match was abandoned due to a hailstorm.
The fifth T20I will take place 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