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PCB accused of treating Rizwan ‘unfairly’ as concerns raised over appointing Shaheen as captain: ‘His fitness…’
Mohammad Amir tore into PCB as he accused the board of not treating Mohammad Rizwan properly.
Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir minced no words as he lambasted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for giving unfair treatment to Mohammad Rizwan by sacking him as the ODI captain. Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was named the new skipper, and he will begin his reign from the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa. Under Rizwan, Pakistan failed to make the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy, but the side did register a series win against Australia and South Africa.
In their official statement, PCB did not mention a single word about Rizwan. The entire content was focused on Shaheen and how he's the right fit to take the team forward. Chief selector Aqib Javed and head coach Mike Hesson made the decision.
This is the second time that Shaheen has been named the captain of the white-ball team. Earlier, he was given the charge, but the role was taken away from him following Pakistan's 1-4 series loss against New Zealand in the five-match T20I series.
“I don’t think Mohammad Rizwan has been treated fairly. Rizwan was not a bad one-day captain. He led Pakistan to series wins in South Africa and Australia, something even some of our biggest captains couldn’t achieve. We should not have forgotten that," Amir was quoted as saying by Geo Super.
Also Read: Mike Hesson blamed for Mohammad Rizwan's sacking to curb ‘religious culture’ in dressing room: ‘He wants this to end’
“Captaincy should not depend on just one good or bad series. We are all responsible for this. Former cricketers and analysts included. We don’t allow stability in our cricket. Captains are not made overnight; it takes two to three years to build one. But here, one bad series is enough to replace a captain. I don’t think this is the right call. Rizwan is a smart captain and has that knack for leadership,” he added.
Shaheen's fitness
Amir also raised concerns over the fitness of Shaheen, who has played 66 ODIs, 92 T20Is, and 32 Tests for Pakistan. The former Pakistan pacer said that Shaheen should have been made the vice-captain first, as there are concerns over his fitness.
If Shaheen had to be made captain, he could have first been appointed as vice-captain and his performance judged accordingly — especially considering his fitness,” Amir said.
It is also worth mentioning that under Rizwan, Pakistan lost the three-match ODI series against the West Indies earlier this year, which possibly was the final nail in the coffin.
According to the Times of India, Rizwan's sacking was primarily due to his refusal to promote betting companies. On the other hand, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif argued that Rizwan's vocal support for Palestine might have led to his removal.
The latest development further adds to musical chairs within captaincy, as at least seven leadership changes across formats have occurred since March 2023.
