T20 World Cup: Afridi rejects vice-captaincy offer

Shaheen Afridi Rejects PCB’s Vice-Captaincy Offer

KARACHI: Star pacer Shaheen Afridi has declined the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) offer to serve as vice-captain for the national team.

Sources close to Shaheen confirmed that the selection committee proposed making him the vice-captain and second-in-command to skipper Babar Azam, but he refused.

This development follows the board’s March decision to reinstate Babar as T20 captain, replacing Shaheen, based on the new selection committee’s recommendation.

Under Zaka Ashraf, the PCB had appointed Shaheen as the white-ball captain after the team’s poor performance in the ICC World Cup 2023.

Following Shaheen’s refusal, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is now a strong candidate for the vice-captain role, with all-rounder Shadab Khan also in contention.

Yesterday, Pakistan announced their squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, which starts on June 1 in the United States and West Indies.

Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2024 Squad
Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Azam Khan, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf.

“This is an extremely talented and balanced side that combines youth and experience. These players have been playing together for some time and are well-prepared for next month’s event,” the PCB stated in a press release.

“Haris Rauf is fully fit and performing well in the nets. Although he missed an outing at Headingley, we are confident he will maintain his form in the upcoming matches, playing a crucial role alongside other strike bowlers in the T20 World Cup.”

Pakistan is in Group A, alongside India, Ireland, Canada, and the United States.