Days after extending support to Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, legendary Pakistani cricketer. Shahid Afridi has once again launched a scathing attack on the current captain of the Pakistan cricket team for his early exit from the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
There are rumors about a possible revamp of the Pakistan cricket team after their miserable performance in the ongoing tournament. T20 World Cup in 2024. Many have suggested that eight or nine players will be removed from the current team and form a new white-ball team.
The former Pakistan captain was not impressed with the idea as he hit out at critics saying who will replace Babar if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the selection committee drop the star batsman. He said there is no player of Babar’s caliber in the entire country.
Shahid Afridi targets Babar Azam over Pakistan’s exit from T20 World Cup 2024
Now, speaking of a U-turn, Afridi has indirectly criticized Babar’s captaincy in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 as the legendary all-rounder blamed the captain for the team’s disappointing performance in the tournament where they suffered shocking defeats to United States and India in Group A.
In fact, Pakistani journalist Saj Sadiq shared a post on X celebrating the 15th anniversary of Pakistan’s thrilling victory over South Africa in the 2009 T20 World Cup semi-finals. Pakistan had defeated South Africa by 7 runs to reach the final of the 2009 T20 World Cup, thanks to an outstanding performance by Afridi in Nottingham.
The legendary all-rounder scored 52 runs off 34 balls and then dismissed the dangerous Herschelle Gibbs and AB de Villiers to help Pakistan beat the Proteas team by 7 runs on June 18, 2019. The Men in Green then crushed Sri Lanka by 8 wickets. in the final to lift his only T20 World Cup in London.
Reacting to the Pakistani journalist’s post, Afridi revealed that the Pakistan team was disgruntled and disjointed, but it was the magic of Younis Khan’s captaincy that brought everyone together, and they created history by winning the 2009 T20 World Cup in England. .
Good leadership can change the team in any situation: Shahid Afridi
Taking a jibe at Babar, Afridi said that a good captain can change the team in any situation, as there were rumors of a rift within the team, and that affected their performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. Given that, the former captain felt it . Babar’s duty was to gather his team to show the world his talent, but he failed as a captain and also as a batsman.
However, Afridi did not mention Babar but was clearly targeting the current captain, who has already criticized his captaincy many times. He even criticized Babar for snatching Pakistan’s white-ball captaincy from his son-in-law Shaheen Afridi months before the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Shahid Afridi said in his X post: “Even in 2009, the team was unhappy and a bit disjointed after some initial losses. It was Younis Khan’s leadership that brought everyone together as we created the story! Good leadership can change the team in any situation!
Even in 2009, the team was disgruntled and a bit disjointed after some early losses. It was Younis Khan’s leadership that brought everyone together as we created the story! Good leadership can change the team in any situation!
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) June 18, 2024