Former captain Rashid Latif has weighed in on the recent developments in Pakistan cricket, suggesting that Babar Azam’s reappointment as the white-ball captain could be seen as a form of revenge against Shaheen Afridi.
Following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to reappoint Babar as the skipper for ODIs and T20Is, while removing Afridi from the T20Is, Latif believes Babar may have seized an opportunity for retaliation. Babar had previously stepped down from captaincy across all formats after Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Afridi assumed the T20I captaincy for one series in New Zealand, which ended in a 4-1 defeat for Pakistan, and also led Lahore Qalandars to a last-place finish in the Pakistan Super League season nine.
Latif highlighted the expectation for Afridi to relinquish the captaincy gracefully, similar to Shadab Khan’s response after a series loss against Afghanistan. He expressed concern about the team’s cohesion, suggesting that failure to win the forthcoming 2024 T20 World Cup could lead to further turmoil.
Babar’s return as captain will commence with the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, scheduled to begin on April 18 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. The series will continue with three matches in Rawalpindi and conclude with two matches in Lahore on April 25 and 27.
The anticipation surrounding Babar’s leadership and the team’s performance underscores the high stakes and expectations for Pakistan cricket in the upcoming series and tournaments.
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