The final match of the World Cup 2022 was played four days ago, but the disappointment of Pakistan’s defeat has not yet embraced the Pakistani fans. Despite Pakistan reaching the T20 World Cup final in 2022, veteran all-rounder Shahid Afridi has called on skipper Babar Azam to step down following the conclusion of the ICC tournament in Australia. The Pakistani team, led by Babar, defied all circumstances and surprisingly advanced to the T20 World Cup semifinal round after an appalling start to their tournament.
The Green Army then thrashed Kane Williamson’s New Zealand to secure a spot in the T20 World Cup final against Jos Buttler’s England. However, Pakistan was unable to end its ICC trophy drought when Babar’s team was defeated by England in the T20 World Cup championship game. Babar, the captain of the Green Army, finished Pakistan’s forgettable season with the bat scoring only one half-century in the T20 World Cup.
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Babar Azam should quit Pakistan T20I captaincy: Shahid Afridi
In a scathing attack on Babar Azam’s disappointing performance in this past World Cup, former Pakistan captain and swashbuckling allrounder ‘Shahid Afridi’ was seen on the Pakistani show Samaa TV along with the Asian giants, saying that “Babar was not happy with the management at Karachi Kings as it is. I feel he should take a tough call and quit captaincy in T20 cricket. He should focus on his batting and lead the team in Tests and one-dayers.”
At the T20 World Cup 2022, the former T20I World No. 1 batter scored 124 runs in 7 games. All-rounder Shadab Khan, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, and Shan Masood, according to Afridi, are the top contenders to succeed a struggling Babar as the T20I skipper.
Afridi later added that “I respect Babar a lot and that’s why I don’t want him to take the pressure of captaincy in T20 cricket. I want him to focus on his captaincy in longer formats. You do have players like Shadab, Rizwan, and even Shan Masood who can lead the team in the T20 format.”
Former fast bowler Wasim Akram recalled that when he asked Babar to bat at number 3 for Karachi Kings in the PSL, Babar refused.
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