ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday appointed batter Shan Masood and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi as new captains of the Test and T20I formats respectively, shortly after Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam stepped down following the green shirts’ dismal performance in the ongoing World Cup.
The decision takes place a day after PCB’s interim management committee chairman, Zaka Ashraf, held consultations with former cricketers Younis Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz after Pakistan crashed out of the World Cup in India.
Pakistan won only five out of the nine matches it played in the 50-over tournament, losing to arch-rivals India and Afghanistan. Pakistan’s poor performance in the World Cup prompted former cricketers and fans to raise questions about Azam’s credentials as captain, with many calling on the board to sack him from the role.
In a statement, the PCB said Ashraf met Azam on Wednesday to discuss Pakistan’s recent performance in the World Cup. The star batter was “relieved” of his role as captain in the white-ball formats while he was asked to continue as Test captain, a statement of the board said. Azam decided to step down from all three formats after consulting his family, the PCB added.
“Shan and Shaheen were appointed captains after Babar Azam today stepped down from all three formats of the game,” the PCB said. “Pakistan’s captain in the ODI format will be announced in due course.”
Afridi, who debuted for Pakistan in April 2018, is considered one of the most lethal fast bowlers around the world. The left-arm pacer is captain of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars. He is the first captain in PSL history to lead a franchise to two successive PSL trophies.
The lanky pacer has 64 wickets from 52 T20Is at an impressive average of 22.73. During this year’s World Cup, Afridi climbed atop the ICC’s ODI Bowling Rankings briefly and became the fastest bowler to take 100 ODI wickets, achieving the feat in just 51 matches.
Masood, who has been asked to lead the Test side, last played for the national squad in July when Pakistan trounced Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs. He has played only 30 Test matches for Pakistan and scored 1,597 runs at an average of 28.51. The newly appointed Test captain has scored four centuries and seven fifties in his career so far.
The left-handed opening batter will have his hands full when Pakistan travel to Australia to take part in a three-match Test series in December/January 2024.
Meanwhile, the PCB also announced it had changed the portfolio of the entire coaching staff, including Team Director Mickey Arthur, who has been replaced with former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez.
“All coaches will continue to work in National Cricket Academy while PCB will announce the new coaching staff in due course for the upcoming series in Australia and New Zealand,” the board said.
