Shahid Afridi skipper in all formats of cricket for the Pakistani team
Shahid Khan Afridi, the notorious, haughty and still charismatic character of Pakistani cricket has been granted full authority to lead the team in all formats of the game for Pakistan.
There was much controversy about his attitude and his lack of responsibility to understand the situation at hand. However, it seems that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has no one better for the job.
He already is the captain of the T20 squad, but as the Asia Cup approaches and the tour of England gets nearer (where the team would play ODIs and Tests), the PCB had to come up with a decision and now we know who the captain is.
The decision is yet to be announced on an official scale but sources have brought affirmative knowledge on the subject. It is said that Afridi along with manager Yawar Saeed met Ijaz Butt at his office. The trio confronted the topic of Pakistan’s strategy for the future and the much unstable captaincy issue. At the end of the meeting, it was decided that Afridi will be given the opportunity to head Pakistan in all formats of the game.
This Monday a meeting was also at the National Assembly of the Standing Committee of Sports in Islamabad. It demanded that all the bans and fines should be removed from the Pakistani cricket players. The source also added, “Afridi was asked by the chairman whether he had any problems accepting Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik back in the team and he said no he was fine with their presence in the Test side.”
This is a welcoming development in the political circles and power corridors of Pakistan. Priot to the T20 World Cup, the same standing committee was criticizing the players and their on-field performances so far. For Afridi, this happens to be the first time that he will play Test cricket after 2006.
Afridi himself had distanced himself from Test cricket due to personal reasons. However, team manager Yawar Saeed rekindled his flame. According to media reports, the manager wants him to be a splendid all-rounder in Test cricket that he is in other formats of game. Source tells that Afridi did have issues but in the end he decided to revise his stand once again.
When their meeting concluded, team manager Yawar Saeed, PCB chairman Ejaz Butt and Shahid Afridi discussed the 30 possible names that could be included for the Asia Cup and for the England Tour. The convention of the core selection committee took some time and many names were revisited.
Younis Khan, the ex-captain is also on the list of probables for a slot in the Pakistani team. He has already left to play county cricket with Surrey till July in England. Shoaib Akhtar’s name was also under heavy debate and eventually, it was decided that Akhtar’s name will be short-listed for the event.
The Pakistani team after playing the Asia Cup in June will depart for England to play two Tests’ against the Australian team followed by four Tests’ against England
Along with the longer version of the game, the much hyped T20 matches are also in the foray. There will be four T20 matches along with five ODIs in the English tour. The team is eager for the encounter and interesting cricket is expected for this summer in England.
Tags: