close
close

Shaheen Afridi declines PCB vice-captain offer

Posted on by angelo
Shaheen Afridi declines PCB vice-captain offer

T20 World Cup 2024: Shaheen Afridi declines PCB vice-captain offer
Pakistani pacer and former T20 skipper Shaheen Afridi. — AFP/File
  • Sources confirm Shaheen’s refusal of the selection committee’s offer.
  • The board reinstated Babar as T20 captain in March replacing the pacer.
  • Rizwan and Shadab emerge as the main contenders for the vice-captain position of the team.

KARACHI: Pakistani star pacer Shaheen Afridi has declined the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) offer to become vice-captain of the national team, Geo News reported Saturday.

Sources close to Shaheen confirmed that the selection committee had offered the pacer to become the team’s vice-captain and second-in-command to skipper Babar Azam, which he refused to accept.

The development comes after the board, in March, reinstated Babar as T20 captain, replacing Shaheen, following the newly formed selection committee’s recommendation to change the skipper.

The Zaka Ashraf-led PCB named Shaheen as the white-ball captain after the team’s defeat in the ICC World Cup 2023.

Following the fast bowler’s refusal to accept the role of vice-captain of the team, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan is now a strong candidate to become vice-captain. Meanwhile, the versatile Shadab Khan is also in the running for the role.

Yesterday, Pakistan announced their squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which begins on June 1 and will be played 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 team, blending youth and experience. These players have been playing together for some time and appear well prepared and ready for next month’s event,” the PCB said in a press release.

“Haris Rauf is in top form and playing well in the net. It would have been nice if he had had an outing at Headingley, but we remain confident that he will continue to maintain an upward trajectory in the games to come as he will have an important role to play with the other attack bowlers in the T20 World Cup.

Pakistan are in Group A of the event, alongside India, Ireland, Canada and the United States.

Pakistan T20 World Cup 2024 Schedule

June 6 – Pakistan v USA, Dallas

June 9 – Pakistan v India, New York

June 11 – Pakistan v Canada, New York

June 16 – Pakistan v Ireland, Lauderhill