Shaheen Shah Afridi, who was recently stripped of the captaincy role in the T20 format was reported to be offered the vice-captaincy role. However, those rumours have been shut down as Pakistan prepares for the T20 World Cup without a designated vice-captain in the 15-member squad.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed rumours of Shaheen Shah Afridi being offered a vice-captaincy role for the T20 World Cup after reports emerged on Saturday (May 26). Afridi, who was recently stripped of the captaincy role in the T20 format was reported to be offered the vice-captaincy role. However, those rumours have been shut down as Pakistan prepares for the T20 World Cup without a designated vice-captain in the 15-member squad.
“The selectors were shocked with this news because when they held their nearly two-hour online meeting on Friday, six out of seven selectors were not in favour of having a vice-captain to Babar Azam,” a source close to one of the national selectors told PTI.
“The minutes of the meeting are on record as per the instructions of the PCB Chairman. So, today’s news about Shaheen declining the vice-captaincy came as a big shock to the selectors,” the source said.
According to a report by Espncricinfo on Saturday Afridi was offered the vice-captaincy role, however, he quickly turned down the offer. He was unhappy with the manner in which he was stripped of the captaincy role earlier while there was no concrete explanation given by the PCB. The 24-year-old was handed Pakistan’s T20 captaincy after the ODI World Cup when Babar Azam resigned from his role. However, a 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand and a poor Pakistan Super League (PSL) campaign as captain, saw PCB strip Afridi from the captain’s role.
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As things stand, Pakistan will travel to the T20 World Cup without a designated vice-captain. In case Pakistan need to field a different captain in the absence of Babar Azam the team management is likely to push for Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf who remain senior members of the Pakistan squad.
Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan
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