Star Pakistan seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi is unhappy and dissatisfied with the lack of communication and clarity over his recent sacking as the T20I captain. Afridi met PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday (April 1) in Kakul, where the Pakistan team is undergoing a fitness-related training camp, with reports suggesting that no constructive talks took place. The PCB, however, posted a photo of Shaheen shaking Naqvi’s hands following the meeting.
Although PCB’s statement had no mention of Afridi or his catch-up with the board’s chairman, it read that Naqvi interacted with all the 29 players, commending them for their dedication and active participation in the camp. Naqvi also pressed on his satisfaction over players attaining top fitness levels.
“The chairman also took the opportunity to interact with the players, personally commending them for their dedication and active participation in the camp. He expressed satisfaction over the players’ enthusiasm and commitment towards enhancing their fitness levels,” the PCB statement read.
Besides, the relations between the two parties further deteriorated when PCB released a statement, attributed to Shaheen, upon reappointing Babar Azan as the white-ball captain, something neither Shaheen contributed to nor approved of. It led to chaos within the team and among the board and the players.
The board, however, accepted the mistake, admitting an internal error led to this. Despite their claim on the same, Afridi believes his queries were not addressed or answered well, leaving everything hanging by a thin thread.
The left-arm seamer is said to have put this entire saga behind and move ahead with his previous role as the leading bowler in the team.
Meanwhile, despite tensions surrounding the captaincy saga within the dressing room, Shaheen’s position as a marquee player for the 2024 T20 World Cup remains the same, as he is expected to be Babar’s go-to-man in the 20-team-tournament.
Pakistan’s Road for T20 WC
The Men in Green are currently in Kakul for the training camp, which ends on April 8.
They will then get involved in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home, scheduled from April 18 to 27. Babar Azam-led T20I side will then travel to the UK for the bilateral series against Ireland and England, before playing in the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals India, with both scheduled to face off on June 9 in New York.