The Pakistan Cricket Board will replace Shahid Afridi as the team’s Twenty20 International captain after the World Cup in India. PCB chief Shaharyar Khan said that the board had reached an understanding with Afridi that he will retire after the tournament, reported PTI. “He is captain till the World Cup under this understanding, and he has said he will retire after the event. Even if he changes his mind and wants to carry on, we will have to see whether he can be picked as a player or not,” Khan said, indicating that Afridi’s days in the sport were numbered.
However, the PCB chairman clarified that the board did not think it was an error on their part to appoint Afridi as captain of the T20 squad last year. “Afridi is an iconic figure in Pakistan, and he has won us matches in the past, some on his own,” he said. Afridi had come under severe criticism from the Pakistani media and former players following his team's six-wicket defeat to arch-rivals India on Saturday. The 36-year-old said on Monday that the criticism did not bother him because he knew what was best for his team. “I know what my team and I have to do here. That is the most important thing for me,” he said.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!