LAHORE: Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has shared his thoughts on Babar Azam’s resumption of leadership in white-ball cricket.
In a decision by the Pakistan Cricket Board, Azam replaced Shaheen Afridi in the T20Is and took the reins for the limited-overs format.
Azam has stepped down as Pakistan’s captain in all formats after a disappointing performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. After that, Afridi led the T20I team while Masood took over the Test captaincy.
Masood said the decision was with the management committee and the election of a new management with a strategic view. He said the decision could involve managing Shaheen Afridi’s workload, citing the importance of preventing player fatigue.
They have seen certain plans and through our interpretation, we see that they want Shaheen Afridi also to be rested and his workload taken care of. Because we lost Nasim Shah before the World Cup last year which cost Pakistan dearly. “Change happens, and change happens during the winter,” he said.
Despite the change in leadership, Masood reaffirmed the team’s unity and commitment to the common goal of success in Pakistan.
“I think as players we have a common goal to make the Pakistan team perform well. “Whoever leads, everyone is behind and ready for a change that will be good for them,” he said.
Meanwhile, former cricketer Rashid Latif believes that Babar took revenge on Shaheen by accepting the captaincy in the white ball format.
He stood up and said, ‘This team is incomplete without Babar and Rizwan.’ He would not have seen it all today. No matter how much friendship there is, “. Babar took revenge [against Shaheen],” he said.
