Shaheen Afridi, the former Pakistan T20I captain, has left the training camp and returned to his hometown of Peshawar. The twenty-four-year-old decided to depart from the camp after being relieved of his T20I captaincy duties. It’s worth noting that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials have clarified that Afridi left with formal permission and not due to any feelings of anger.
According to reports in Aajenglishtv, Afridi will rejoin the team later for the iftar dinner, which is scheduled to be hosted by General Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), on April 8th. His stint as captain began when Babar Azam stepped down from leading in all formats following Pakistan’s disappointing 2023 ODI World Cup campaign.
However, Afridi faced challenges right from the start, particularly with a disappointing series loss to New Zealand. Subsequently, Babar Azam was reinstated as the captain of white-ball cricket.
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Shaheen Afridi’s discontent over captaincy snub
Sources indicate Shaheen Afridi‘s discontent with the lack of communication from the PCB regarding his removal from the captaincy position. Moreover, he was displeased with a statement issued by the PCB after his removal, as it contained words that were not authorized or spoken by him. The PCB admitted to this error and assured Afridi that it was an internal mistake.
Afridi shared a cryptic Instagram story, hinting at his readiness to show a side of himself that others might not expect if his patience is tested beyond its limits. Despite feeling unjustly removed from the captaincy, Afridi has expressed his willingness to move forward from the situation.
“Never ever put me in a position, where I have to show you how cruel and ruthless I can be.” Afridi posted on Instagram.