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Former Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria has expressed concerns over the appointment of Shaheen Afridi as captain for the upcoming Champions One-Day Cup 2024, questioning the decision to remove him from the leadership role in the first place. Afridi, who will lead the Lions in the domestic tournament, had previously been appointed as Pakistan’s T20I captain following Babar Azam’s resignation in 2023, only to be replaced after one series.
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Kaneria voiced his thoughts, suggesting that the decision to reinstate Afridi as captain for the domestic competition indicates that he is still being considered for a leadership role in the future. He criticized the team’s management for their inconsistent approach, stating, “If Shaheen Afridi has been made the captain, it means that he is being considered to lead Pakistan in the future. Why did you remove him in the first place then? They should have shown faith in him.”
Afridi’s brief tenure as T20I captain came after Pakistan’s group-stage exit at the 2023 ODI World Cup, following which Babar Azam relinquished captaincy across formats. However, after a disappointing 4-1 series loss to New Zealand, Afridi was replaced, leading to further questions about the team’s leadership strategy.
Champions One-Day Cup 2024 Lineup
The Champions One-Day Cup 2024, scheduled to take place in Faisalabad from September 12 to 29, will see Afridi, along with Mohammad Rizwan (Wolves), Shadab Khan (Panthers), Saud Shakeel (Dolphins), and Mohammad Haris (Stallions), leading their respective teams.
Kaneria also commented on the involvement of former stars like Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Malik as mentors for the competition. He questioned the decision to focus on a white-ball tournament, emphasizing the need for improvement in red-ball cricket, especially after Pakistan’s recent 2-0 series loss to Bangladesh.
“Pakistan have roped in many mentors for the Champions One-Day Cup. What is this? You’ve lost in red-ball cricket and are shifting your focus to white-ball cricket,” Kaneria remarked, highlighting the team’s recent Test struggles.
Kaneria on Babar Azam’s Form
Kaneria also discussed Babar Azam’s form, suggesting that the star batter should focus on domestic cricket to regain his confidence. Babar, who has struggled to perform in Test matches, has failed to score a half-century in his last 16 Test innings. His recent performances in the home series against Bangladesh were particularly disappointing, with just 64 runs across four innings.
Kaneria recommended that the selectors encourage Babar to spend time in domestic cricket, stating, “The selectors should ask him to play domestic cricket. They should make him understand that while he is a good player, he hasn’t performed and is out of form. You won’t be able to fix things unless you get the basics right.”
New Zealand Name Squad for 2024 T20 World Cup
With the Champions One-Day Cup 2024 just around the corner, the focus will be on how players like Shaheen Afridi and Babar Azam respond to these challenges, as Pakistan continues to prepare for upcoming international fixtures.
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