Pakistan batsman Saud Shakeel: “Becoming a captain is a matter of pride. It’s not that I always wanted to become a captain, but if the opportunity arises, I will definitely accept it”
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Pakistan middle order batsman Saud Shakeel said if he is offered the chance to captain his country in any format, he will “definitely accept it.”
His comments come at a time when rumours have surfaced about a potential change in leadership, especially in T20I cricket, where left-arm seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi holds the leadership role.
While Shakeel’s name has not been mentioned, the 28-year-old is ready to take on the challenge, especially since he led the Pakistan Under-19 team in the past.
“Being a captain is a challenge and it’s an opportunity to learn. Handling the pressure of being a captain falls on the player himself and I have always enjoyed captaincy. When I became the captain of the U19 team, I maintained a good atmosphere in the dressing room and had good camaraderie,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
“Becoming a captain is a matter of pride. It’s not that I always wanted to become a captain, but if the opportunity arises, I will definitely accept it.”
Shakeel recently played for the Quetta Gladiators in the 2024 Pakistan Super League (PSL) and scored 323 runs in 10 matches, which included two fifties, at an average of 35.88 and a strike-rate of 141.66.
Quetta Gladiators Squad for PSL 9: Rilee Rossouw (captain), Sarfaraz Ahmed, Sherfane Rutherford, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim, Jason Roy, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammad Hasnain, Abrar Ahmed, Will Smeed, Saud Shakeel, Sajjad Ali, Usman Qadir, Omair Bin Yousuf, Adil Naz, Khawaja Nafay, Akeal Hosein, Sohail Khan, Laurie Evans, Bismillah Khan
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