Captaincy rift between Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi?
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Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf recently addressed rumors of a rift between Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi over the captaincy. Ashraf firmly denied any conflict between the two star players, emphasizing that the team's unity remained intact even after he decided to appoint Shaheen as the T20 captain.
He explained that Babar Azam understood the decision, acknowledging that while his talent as a player is undeniable, his performance as captain had room for improvement. According to Ashraf, Babar accepted the change and continued to play with the same commitment to the team.
Ashraf went on to defend his decisions regarding leadership roles within the team, particularly his choices of Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi as captains of the Test and T20 sides, respectively. He praised Shan Masood as an excellent captain, noting his ongoing leadership in England’s county cricket. Similarly, Ashraf expressed confidence in Shaheen Shah Afridi’s ability to lead the T20I team, describing the decision as a positive one for the team's future.
Additionally, it is noteworthy that Pakistan's premier batsman, Babar Azam, has recently fallen out of the top 10 in the ICC Test rankings, marking the first time in five years that he has not been among the elite in this category.
