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Cricket PlayersShaheen Afridi puts end to conspiracy theories linked to taking over captaincy from Mohammad Rizwan: ‘He decided to…’
Shaheen Shah Afridi sets the record straight in terms of taking over the ODI captaincy from Mohammad Rizwan.
Shaheen Shah Afridi's second stint as Pakistan captain got off to a good start, as the hosts won the three-match series 2-1 against South Africa. The premium pacer is now ready for the next challenge against Sri Lanka, and ahead of the series opener in Rawalpindi, the 25-year-old opened up on taking over captaincy from Mohammad Rizwan.
It is worth mentioning that Rizwan was removed as the ODI captain despite Pakistan winning the series in Australia and South Africa under his tenure. However, the side failed to make the semi-finals of the ICC Champions Trophy and even lost an ODI series against the West Indies.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Shaheen stated that Rizwan himself had decided to step back as captain, and once this decision was made, he was appointed as the new skipper.
The pacer also spoke about his conversation with Rizwan and how the latter was supportive towards him taking over at the helm.
Also Read: Pakistan's ‘strategic move’ backfires with Shaheen Afridi’s rudderless outing in first match as ODI captain
“Recently, when I was announced as the captain, Rizwan was the first person I spoke to, and I asked him about his feelings. He is a good person; he decided to step back himself, and then I took over,” Shaheen told reporters.
“The conversations were had with him, and then the decision was taken to appoint me as the ODI captain,” he added.
Shaheen's previous stint as the captain
Shaheen was previously appointed Pakistan's white-ball captain after the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, his tenure ended prematurely after Pakistan lost the T20I series against New Zealand under his leadership.
The pacer was then replaced in similar circumstances to Rizwan's sacking. Afridi was then replaced by Babar Azam a week later.
Speaking to the media, Shaheen also discussed his previous captaincy stint; however, he remained tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding his removal from the post.
“When I had taken over captaincy earlier, I had spoken to both Babar Azam and Rizwan. But I won't delve much into my removal as the captain,” said Shaheen.
Pakistan currently have three different captains for three formats. Shaheen is at the helm of the ODI side while Salman Ali Agha and Shan Masood are the captains of the T20I and Test teams.
