The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued an announcement addressing the latest stories that Shaheen Afridi declined the provide to be the vice-captain of the nationwide facet and deputy of Babar Azam for the T20 World Cup 2024.
Management adjustments and speculations
This improvement got here amidst vital management adjustments inside the Pakistan cricket crew following a tumultuous interval put up the ODI World Cup 2023. In latest months, the Males in Inexperienced have skilled a collection of management upheavals. Babar Azam resigned from the captaincy of Pakistan from all codecs after the disastrous CWC 2023 marketing campaign and in his place Shaheen acquired the function to guide the T20I facet. Nonetheless, Shaheen was changed by Babar after only one collection.
Reappointment of Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi’s elimination
Babar was reinstated because the captain of the Pakistan crew for the collection towards New Zealand, whereas Shaheen was faraway from the management function after the 5-match T20I collection towards New Zealand in January. This reshuffling was thought-about part of a broader technique by the PCB to stabilize the crew’s efficiency and management construction.
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Squad announcement and vice-captaincy controversy
On Friday (Could 24), the PCB introduced the 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, with Babar confirmed because the captain. Notably, no vice-captain was named, resulting in hypothesis that Shaheen had rejected the function.
In response to a latest report by ESPNcricinfo, Shaheen was supplied the vice-captaincy of the Pakistan T20 facet forward of the World Cup squad announcement however turned down the provide. Consequently, the World Cup squad, introduced simply hours earlier than the ICC deadline for closing squad submissions, didn’t embody an formally designated vice-captain.
Earlier discontent and PCB’s response
Now the PCB clarified of their assertion on social media Platform X that the choice to not appoint a vice-captain was as a result of selectors’ choice, not Shaheen’s refusal. The PCB’s latest assertion intention to quell any rumors of additional unrest, emphasizing that the choice to not title a vice-captain was made by the choice committee.
“Throughout Friday’s choice committee assembly, discussions on the vice-captaincy passed off. Nonetheless, it was unanimously determined to not appoint anybody. As such, no provide was made to any participant. The facet is totally united, dedicated and keenly wanting ahead to the upcoming matches within the UK and the ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2024,” the assertion reads.
Throughout Friday’s choice committee assembly, discussions on the vice-captaincy passed off. Nonetheless, it was unanimously determined to not appoint anybody. As such, no provide was made to any participant. The facet is totally united, dedicated and keenly wanting ahead to the upcoming matches…
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) Could 25, 2024
Pakistan’s latest kind and future prospects
Pakistan are aiming to construct on their latest spectacular T20 World Cup performances, the place they have been semi-finalists in 2021 and finalists in 2022. However, their kind has been inconsistent. They suffered a 4-1 defeat in New Zealand earlier this 12 months and later drew 2-2 towards the identical facet in Pakistan, regardless of New Zealand fielding a weakened crew. Additionally they skilled a blended collection towards Eire, dropping the primary T20I earlier than bouncing again to win the collection. They’re additional 1-0 all the way down to England of their closing collection forward of the worldwide showpiece occasion.
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