Shaheen Afridi wants unity to be Pakistan's identity under his leadership
Shaheen Shah Afridi has been one of the casualties of Pakistan cricket’s brutal game of captaincy musical chairs. But at a stage in his career when he has much to prove, the left-arm pace spearhead has the One-day International (ODI) captaincy firmly in his grasp, with the 2027 World Cup looming on the horizon. Unlike in 2024, when he was removed as Pakistan’s T20 captain after just one series in…
Shaheen Shah Afridi, once a victim of Pakistan cricket's captaincy carousel, now holds the ODI captaincy with the 2027 World Cup in his sights. The board's decision to give him more time in the role suggests confidence in his abilities. Appointed a year ago, Shaheen is poised to lead Pakistan through their opening ODI against Sri Lanka in a tri-series, with Babar Azam joining him in the lineup.
Shaheen replaced Mohammad Rizwan as ODI captain, who is currently under cybercrime agency investigation. Despite past captaincy reshuffles, Shaheen emphasizes the importance of unity within the team, focusing on winning the World Cup. Babar Azam, his former T20 captain, is seen as the backbone of the team. Pakistan's ODI side has been rebuilding over the past year, winning all home series on slower, spin-friendly pitches.
For the upcoming tri-series, the conditions are anticipated to be different, favoring faster bowlers. Shaheen expects Pakistan to field three or four pacers, highlighting the importance of Saim Ayub in this approach. The team's next matches include games against England and Sri Lanka, leading up to the World Cup in South Africa.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
