Pakistan appoint Afridi, Masood new captains for T20I and Test formats

This combination of photos, created on November 15, 2023, shows Pakistani cricketers Shaheen Afridi (left) and Shan Masood (right). (AFP/File)
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Updated 15 November 2023
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Pakistan appoint Afridi, Masood new captains for T20I and Test formats

  • PCB says will announce new ODI captain ‘in due course’ after Azam stepped down as Pakistan’s all-format skipper
  • Pakistan’s cricket board changes portfolio of the entire coaching staff, including Team Director Mickey Arthur

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.


Kane scores as Bayern deliver comeback romp over Leipzig

Updated 17 January 2026
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Kane scores as Bayern deliver comeback romp over Leipzig

  • The victory restores Bayern’s 11-point lead atop the ladder over second-placed Borussia Dortmund
  • Leipzig took a first-half lead through Romulo, but Bayern kicked into gear after the break

LEIPZIG, Germany: Harry Kane scored his 21st goal of the Bundesliga season as Bayern Munich came from behind to win 5-1 at RB Leipzig on Saturday.
The victory restores Bayern’s 11-point lead atop the ladder over second-placed Borussia Dortmund, while continuing their record-breaking campaign.
Unbeaten Bayern have dropped just four points on their way to a record-equalling tally of 50 after 18 games. Bayern’s total of 71 goals scored is also a record at this stage of a German league season.
Leipzig took a first-half lead through Romulo, but Bayern kicked into gear after the break, Serge Gnabry, Kane, Jonathan Tah, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Michael Olize all scoring.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said Leipzig were “twice as good as we were” in the opening half, adding “but in the second-half — my god, the boys delivered.
“We weren’t afraid and we really went for it.”
Leipzig goalscorer Romulo said “we played 75 minutes really on top, then I don’t know what happened, we turned off our minds. We have to learn something out of that.”
Leipzig were strong early and broke through after 20 minutes when Romulo snuck past Bayern’s Tah to poke in an Antonio Nusa pass from close range.
The hosts were undone in the simplest fashion just after half-time. Dayot Upamecano picked Christoph Baumgartner’s pocket and fed Gnabry, who guided the ball into the bottom corner.
Bayern took the lead after 67 minutes, once again thanks to a Leipzig mistake.
Olize’s floated cross looked harmless until Ridle Baku lost his footing, allowing an unmarked Kane time and space to blast home.
With Leipzig’s resistance broken, Tah, Pavlovic and Olize all scored in the final 10 minutes, while Jamal Musiala returned late off the bench after a six-month injury absence.

- Can rescues Dortmund -
Earlier, an Emre Can penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time saved Borussia Dortmund’s blushes in a 3-2 home win against lowly St. Pauli.
In the dying moments, VAR found a foul on Germany forward Maximilian Beier, bringing Dortmund captain Can to the spot.
“What a rollercoaster ride,” Can told Sky Germany.
“We need to do much better to settle things down and to convert our chances,” he added.
The hosts overcame a poor first half when Julian Brandt tapped in from close range just before the break. Having created the opener, Karim Adeyemi gave Dortmund a two-goal buffer in the 54th minute, converting a Fabio Silva assist.
Rock-bottom St. Pauli had won just once since September but fought back into the game when James Sands and Ricky-Jade Jones scored inside 10 minutes midway through the second half to stun the hosts.
Deep into stoppage time, Jones caught Beier on the edge of the penalty area, allowing Can to convert nervelessly from the spot.
Elsewhere, Hoffenheim’s Wouter Burger scored the only goal in a 1-0 home win over flailing Bayer Leverkusen to climb past Leipzig into third in the table.
Burger swung in an excellent free-kick after nine minutes to give the hosts the three points.
“That was an important one,” Burger said of his free-kick. “I was practicing them a bit this morning.”
Relegation candidates last season, Hoffenheim are on track to qualify for Europe’s top competition for just the second time in their history, having last done so under now-Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann in 2017/18.
Leverkusen have now lost four of their past six, falling three points behind the Champions League placings.
Cologne beat Mainz 2-1 at home, Wolfsburg played out a 1-1 home draw with Heidenheim and hosts Hamburg were held to a scoreless draw by Borussia Moenchengladbach.