Tag: Shaheen Afridi

Legendary Pakistan wicketkeeper batter Moin Khan termed Mohammad Rizwan’s age only obstacle for him to become the all-format Pakistan captain, stating he would be a short-term option.

In an interview with a cricket news platform, Moin said Pakistan can appoint an all-format captain but should be given ample tenure to lead the national team.

Moin Khan acknowledged Mohammad Rizwan’s leadership skills but claimed the 32-year-old to be a short-term option. He instead called for grooming a youngster for the national team’s leadership.

“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. Whoever becomes captain should have the responsibility for a long term. There is no doubt about Mohammad Rizwan’s abilities; any criticism against him might be due to his age,” said Moin Khan.

“It’s also important to consider how long he can represent the team if given leadership. Mohammad 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,” he added.

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Moin Khan then backed ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi as the ideal candidate for Pakistan captaincy.

“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,” Moin stated.

“In white-ball cricket, I don’t see anyone else suitable for the role. Removing him from the captaincy was unjust. 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,” he added.

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Former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper batter Moin Khan backed ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi as the ideal candidate for Pakistan captaincy.

Following a series of dismal performances across formats, the future of both Pakistan Test and white-ball captains, Shan Masood and Babar Azam, is under scrutiny.

Last week, it was reported that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided to call a high-profile meeting on September 22, dubbed “Connection Camp”, to discuss the future of Pakistan cricket which includes the captaincy of the national men’s teams.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the aforementioned reports regarding the captaincy, stating that national selectors and coaches will decide on the appointment of the Pakistan men’s team captain.

“The decision regarding captaincy will be made after consultation with the coaches, mentors and selection committee,” said Naqvi.

“A workshop is scheduled for September 22, where everyone will be invited to give their suggestions, and decisions will be made afterwards,” he added.

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Meanwhile, legendary wicketkeeper batter Moin Khan threw his weight behind Shaheen Shah Afridi, terming him an ideal candidate for Pakistan captaincy, especially for T20Is.

He also highlighted a dip in the pacer’s performance after being removed from the captaincy.

“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. 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,” stated Moin.

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FAISALABAD: Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has expressed his aim to lead the Lions from the front with his performances both with the bat and the ball during the upcoming Champions One-Day Cup.

The five-team tournament will be played at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad from 12-29 September. This 50-over tournament will be played in a single-league format.

Shaheen Afridi, the two-time Pakistan Super League (PSL) winning captain, reflected on what lies ahead for both him and his team as they enter the tournament under the mentorship of former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis.

“Leading the Lions will be a thrilling experience for me, especially given the high stakes of the Champions One-Day Cup and the presence of several young and exciting players on our roster,” said Shaheen.

“I look forward to giving my best to the team — with the ball, the bat, and through my leadership throughout the tournament.”

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Shaheen fondly recalled his debut in the domestic One-Day Cup back in 2018, when he burst onto the scene as a teenage prodigy.

“I have great memories of playing the One-Day Cup in Faisalabad as an 18-year-old in 2018. Returning here as captain with a wealth of international experience feels surreal. I’m committed to helping create memorable experiences for all the young players on our team.”

Speaking about the intensity of the competition, Shaheen emphasised the importance of preparation in the Champions One-Day Cup.

“Our opening game is against a strong Stallions squad, which shows the level of competition we will face game after game. That’s why I firmly believe our preparations must be spot-on so we can hit the ground running.”

LIONS Squad (to be reduced to 15 players on 10 September)

Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain, Peshawar), Abdullah Shafique (Sialkot), Aamir Jamal (Islamabad), Aamer Yamin (Multan), Faisal Akram (Multan), Hassan Nawaz (Islamabad), Hunain Shah (Lahore), Imam-ul-Haq (Lahore), Imran Butt (Lahore), Khushdil Shah (Bannu), Mohammad Asghar (Karachi), Muhammad Irfan Khan (Mianwali), Mohammad Taha (Karachi), Omair Bin Yousuf (Karachi), Rohail Nazir (Islamabad), Shahab Khan (Mardan), Sharoon Siraj (Sahiwal), Sirajuddin (Bajaur) and Waqar Hussain (Okara)

Mentor – Waqar Younis

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RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood on Tuesday, opened up on his alleged altercation with ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, stating there is no tension between the two cricketers.

During the opening Test of the two-match series between Pakistan and Bangladesh, a video of the national men’s team, standing in a huddle went viral on social media.

In the video, Shan Masood was seen placing his hand on Shaheen Afridi’s left shoulder. The pacer, however, quickly removed the captain’s hand, which triggered speculations among fans as they suspected a rift between the two players.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Test skipper Masood finally cleared the air regarding the incident and revealed that he mistakenly placed his hand on the pacer’s injured shoulder.

“I think, a [clip went viral] in which I placed my hand on Shaheen’s shoulder and he removed it. He wasn’t angry with me but was injured and was in pain,” shared Masood.

Shan Masood further revealed that Shaheen Afridi was experiencing pain in his shoulder due to a blow he sustained facing Bangladesh pacer Nahid Rana.

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In the post-match press conference, Masood also acknowledged the team’s shortcomings in their recent 2-0 series defeat against Bangladesh and apologized to the nation.

“We apologize to the nation. Our common goal should be to work for the betterment of Pakistan cricket,” Masood said.

“We need more experienced players in the Test format. I am very grateful that the selectors and all of us look at the playing XIs and selectors through a democratic lens.”

Masood highlighted Bangladesh’s strengths that paved the way for their historic victory before acknowledging that the national players need to work on their fitness to excel in the longest format of the game.

“I think, we should respect the opposition. Every opposition has its own qualities and Bangladesh’s quality was their discipline, which was more than ours in both Test matches,” said Shan.

“We need to analyze our mistakes and we made a lot of mistakes in this series.

“Test cricket demands fitness, both mental and physical, and I think, that is something we need to work on.”

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Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has refuted the rumours of a rift between white-ball captain Babar Azam and left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi.

The rumours of tension between the star players have been circulating in the media since Shaheen replaced Babar as the captain of the T20I team in the aftermath of a disastrous ICC ODI World Cup 2023 campaign.

However, Zaka Ashraf, who was serving as the chairman of the PCB Management Committee, at that time dispelled the rumours of rift and claimed that the team unity actually improved after Shaheen’s appointment.

“No, the unity didn’t end [after removing Babar Azam as captain]. In fact, the unity improved. When we told him to play as a player, which is his talent, but as a captain, his performance is not good, he agreed,” he stated during an interview at a local news channel.

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Zaka Ashraf also defended his decision to appoint Shan Masood as the captain of the Test team and Mohammad Hafeez as the team director, while denying rumours of grouping in the team.

“No, there was no grouping. The team was good. And we brought Shan Masood as the captain. He was a very good captain. He is still a very good player,” he added

“And our management, along with the team, Mohammad Hafeez, an excellent cricketer, a very honest person, we brought him along. Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, and these players, we brought them along so that the coaching staff is with the team.”

For the unversed, Shaheen Afridi was removed as captain after one series and Babar Azam was reinstated as the white-ball captain ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2023, where Pakistan crashed out in the first round.

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Pakistan Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has criticized the team management for dropping pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi from the lineup for the second Test against Bangladesh.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the 12-member squad on Thursday which will form their Playing XI for the must-win second and final Test against Bangladesh.

Shaheen Afridi was a notable omission from the lineup along with wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed as well as uncapped batters Kamran Ghulam and Muhammad Hurraira.

The decision did not sit well with Ahmed and he shared a video on his official social media platforms, raising questions about the form of other players, who were retained in the squad.

“You lost to Zimbabwe; you lost to Ireland; you lost to the USA; you lost to India; now you lost to Bangladesh. Is Shaheen Afridi only responsible for all of this?” he asked.

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Ahmed Shehzad acknowledged the dip in Shaheen’s performance, however, he stressed that one player cannot be blamed for the team’s poor performance.

“Shaheen Afridi won’t be solely responsible for all of this. So, bring all those people who were involved in all of this. Tell this country. So, it is wrong to blame Shaheen Afridi for all of this,” he stated.

“Yes, his performances are low, his attitude is problematic, you dropped him, that’s a good thing. But what about the rest of the people involved in all of this? What about the rest of the performances?”

The 32-year-old batter also raised questions over the batting performances of Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam and Saim Ayub, who are getting consistent chances.

“What about Abdullah Shafique’s performance in the last 8 Test matches? What about Saim Ayub’s performance after 25 matches? What about Babar Azam’s performance in the last 14 Test matches? So just by barring them, there won’t be any surgery; there won’t be any Pakistan team on the right track,” he added.

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RAWALPINDI: Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie shed light on the decision to leave out pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi from the lineup for the second Test against Bangladesh.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the 12-member squad on Thursday which will form their Playing XI for the must-win second and final Test against Bangladesh.

Shaheen Afridi was a notable omission from the lineup along with wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed as well as uncapped batters Kamran Ghulam and Muhammad Hurraira.

Jason Gillespie, during a press conference in Rawalpindi, revealed the reason behind the decision to exclude Shaheen, labelling it a strategic decision.

“I had a good conversation with him [Shaheen Afridi], and he fully understands and appreciates the reasoning behind this decision. We’re looking for the best combination for this game, and this is our direction,” Gillespie said.

The Australian also mentioned that Shaheen has been given feedback on his bowling and will be working on improving it.

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Additionally, the left-arm pacer will be able to take some much-needed rest and spend quality time with his family, especially since his wife recently gave birth to a baby boy.

“Shaheen has received some feedback, and he’s had an interesting couple of weeks—he’s a new father, he’s playing all three formats, and we’re seeing an opportunity to allow him to spend time with his family as well,” he added.

Jason Gillespie also recognized the importance of Shaheen as a crucial bowler for Pakistan. He emphasized the need for Shaheen to perform at his peak, especially with Pakistan’s busy cricket schedule in the coming months.

“He’s working on a few aspects of his bowling to ensure he’s as fit as possible. He’s been collaborating well with Azhar Mahmood, which has been fantastic,” Jason shared.

“We certainly want to see Shaheen at his best because we have a lot of cricket ahead in all formats, and he’s going to play a big role in that.

“Make no mistake, Shaheen is a quality player and will play a significant role in the next 6-7 months.”

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RAWALPINDI: Left-arm pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been dropped as Pakistan announced a 12-member squad for the second Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to be played here from 30 August.

Taking to Twitter, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the 12-member squad which will form their Playing XI for the must-win second and final Test against Bangladesh.

Along with Shaheen, wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed as well as uncapped batters Kamran Ghulam and Muhammad Hurraira have also been released from the squad.

Notably, Shaheen Afridi had a forgettable outing in the first Test as he managed only two wickets in the first innings.

Pakistan would be looking to bounce back in the second Test after suffering the first-ever defeat against Bangladesh in the opening Test of the two-match series.

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Following the defeat, several strategies came under question; such as going with an all-pace attack, declaration and batting failure in the second innings.

Pakistan, after being put into bat first, accumulated 448/6 and declared their first innings in the dying minutes of the second day. Bangladesh, in response, piled up a mammoth total of 565, courtesy of Mushfiqur Rahim’s marathon 191-run knock, before bundling out in the third session of the fourth day.

The first Test was assumed to be heading towards a draw but Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered against Bangladesh’s spinners on the final day and could score 146, setting the visitors a meagre 30-run target.

The Bangladesh openers made no mistake in chasing down a paltry total and steered their side to a historic victory over Pakistan.

Pakistan 12-member Squad

Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.

Bangladesh Squad

Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mahmudullah, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed and Khaled Ahmed.

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RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who welcomed a baby boy earlier today, did a cradle celebration after taking a wicket in the ongoing first Test against Bangladesh.

Shaheen, who had been far from his best in the ongoing fixture, finally claimed his first wicket by getting Hasan Mahmud caught behind.

He bowled a length ball on middle-leg, Hasan tried to smash it over the mid-wicket area but only managed to edge the ball Rizwan dived to his right and completed the catch.

Shaheen Afridi celebrated the wicket by doing a cradle celebration to honour his newborn child.

 

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Shaheen Shah Afridi and his wife Ansha Afridi welcomed their first child earlier today on Saturday.

The delightful news was announced by the Afridi family on social media, where fans and well-wishers from around the world extended their their heartfelt congratulations.

The couple is blessed with a baby boy, whom they have named Ali Yar.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), other cricketers have congratulated the star pacer on becoming the dad of the bay boy.

In July, reports surfaced that Shaheen and Ansha were expecting their first child.

Pakistan’s red ball coach, Jason Gillespie, had mentioned the possibility of Shaheen missing the then-upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.

“Shaheen can miss Bangaladesh Test matches due to childbirth,” Gillespie was quoted saying. “We can give him [some] rest if he wants to stay with his wife till then,” he said.

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Currently, Pakistan is playing a two-match Test series against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, with the first Test having commenced on August 21.

Shaheen will leave for Karachi after the end of first Test and would join the team before the start of second Test on August 30.

The left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi got engaged to the second-eldest daughter of the former skipper of the national cricket team, Ansha Shahid in 2021, while their nikah was solemnized in a private affair in February last year.

The week-long wedding festivities and Rukhsati of Ansha with Shaheen were held in September 2023.

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Pakistan’s fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and his wife Ansha Afridi have welcomed their first child on Saturday.

The delightful news was announced by the Afridi family on social media, where fans and well-wishers from around the world extended their their heartfelt congratulations.

The couple is blessed with a baby boy, whom they have named Ali Yar.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), other cricketers have congratulated the star pacer on becoming the dad of the bay boy.

In July, reports surfaced that Shaheen and Ansha were expecting their first child.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Pakistan’s red ball coach, Jason Gillespie, had mentioned the possibility of Shaheen missing the then-upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.

“Shaheen can miss Bangaladesh Test matches due to childbirth,” Gillespie was quoted saying. “We can give him [some] rest if he wants to stay with his wife till then,” he said.

Currently, Pakistan is playing a two-match Test series against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, with the first Test having commenced on August 21.

Shaheen will leave for Karachi after the end of first Test and would join the team before the start of second Test on August 30.

The left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi got engaged to the second-eldest daughter of the former skipper of the national cricket team, Ansha Shahid in 2021, while their nikah was solemnized in a private affair in February last year.

The week-long wedding festivities and Rukhsati of Ansha with Shaheen were held in September 2023.

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