Delhi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has refused to give fast bowler Shaheen Afridi the role of vice-captain for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Veteran batsman Babar Azam was reappointed as the captain of the Pakistan team ahead of the series against New Zealand. Meanwhile, Shaheen was removed from this role after the 5-match T20 series against New Zealand in January.

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Pakistan announced their squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 on 24 May, with Babar named captain of the 15-man squad. However, the PCB did not name any vice-captain in the squad and it was rumoured that Shaheen rejected the offer made by the board. PCB officials clarified in the statement that several selectors did not want any vice-captain for Babar.

A source among the national selectors told PTI, “The selectors are surprised by this news, because when they held an online meeting for about two hours on Friday, six out of seven selectors were not in favor of making Babar Azam the vice-captain. Today's news of Shaheen refusing vice-captaincy was a big blow to the selectors.”

Why was Shaheen removed from the post of captain?

The source called it an attempt by some external elements to tarnish the image of the PCB and the selectors. He said, “Shaheen was clearly not happy when his captaincy period was cut short after captaining just one series in New Zealand in January.”

Shaheen was announced as the captain of the shortest format of cricket after Babar stepped down from captaincy of all three formats following Pakistan's defeat in the ODI World Cup 2023, but now he has been removed from captaincy just 2 months before the T20 World Cup after Pakistan lost the 5-match series against New Zealand 1-4.

Pakistan squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan.

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