Removing Shaheen Afridi From Pakistan’s T20I Captaincy Was Unjust: Moin Khan Criticizes Decision

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter and member of the 1992 World Cup-winning squad, Moin Khan, has voiced his displeasure over the recent captaincy changes in the Pakistan cricket team. Moin believes that stripping Shaheen Afridi of the T20I captaincy ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup was unjust and detrimental to both the player and the team.

After the 2023 ODI World Cup, Pakistan underwent a leadership shuffle when Babar Azam relinquished his role as captain across all formats. Shaheen Afridi was appointed T20I captain, while Shan Masood took over as the Test captain. However, under Afridi’s leadership, Pakistan suffered a 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to reinstate Babar Azam as the white-ball captain.

Moin Khan, in an interview, criticized the decision to remove Afridi from the T20I captaincy, stating that the young pacer had immense potential and was popular among his teammates. 

“Shaheen Afridi has the ability to lead the team and is highly liked by the players. He is an excellent choice for captaincy in T20s. In white-ball cricket, I don’t see anyone else suitable for the role. Removing him from the captaincy was unjust,” said Moin. “He is one of the best T20 players, and I’ve noticed his performance has slightly declined since he was removed from the captaincy. How can you expect good performance if you don’t give players confidence? They should be given some time as captain.”

Shaheen Afridi, widely regarded as one of the world’s premier fast bowlers, enjoyed a strong reputation as a T20 player, and Moin Khan believes his removal from the captaincy could have lasting effects on his confidence and performance. 

The debate over Pakistan’s leadership structure does not end with Shaheen Afridi. There have been ongoing speculations that Babar Azam could be replaced as the white-ball captain by Mohammad Rizwan, who has been a consistent performer for Pakistan across formats. 

Commenting on the possibility of Rizwan stepping into the leadership role, Moin noted that while a single captain for all formats is ideal, it is essential that the player performs well in every format.

“A single captain can be appointed for all formats of cricket, but it’s crucial for any player to perform across all formats to achieve this,” said Moin. “There is no doubt about Mohammad Rizwan’s abilities; any criticism against him might be due to his age. It’s also important to consider how long he can represent the team if given leadership. Rizwan could be a great short-term captain, but you would need to groom a young cricketer to take over in the future. We often appoint captains but fail to prepare a suitable deputy.”

The Pakistan cricket team’s captaincy situation remains a hot topic as the squad prepares for upcoming tournaments, with the 2024 T20 World Cup on the horizon. Whether Shaheen Afridi’s removal from the captaincy will have a long-term impact remains to be seen, but Moin Khan’s words echo the sentiments of many fans who question the frequent changes in leadership. 

The PCB has yet to make any official announcement regarding a permanent captain for all formats or potential future changes to the leadership structure.