“Don’t agree with squad chosen but this is our team, so we have to support it” - Shahid Afridi on Pakistan’s T20 World Cup selection
Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has conceded that he is not pleased with the chosen Pakistan squad for T20 World Cup. He, however, added that being a proud Pakistani, he will back the team at the ICC event.
Fakhar Zaman, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik were the big names left out from Pakistan’s 15-man World Cup squad. According to some media reports, Pakistan could announce an updated squad for the T20 World Cup. Boards will be allowed to make changes to the squad till October 10.
Reacting to the squad selection, Afridi termed certain decisions taken by the selectors as baffling.
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The 44-year-old said during a chat on Cricket Pakistan:
“I don’t know why certain players were picked and a few were left out. I have heard that there are plans to announce a modified T20 World Cup squad. My individual thinking is that this is not the right team. Ideally, there should have been two-three changes. So yeah, don’t agree with the squad chosen but this is our team so we have to support it at the World Cup.”
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The Pakistan squad at the T20 World Cup, to be held in the UAE and Oman, will be led by Babar Azam. Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez are the other key members of the team.
Don't think new coaching staff will make much difference at T20 World Cup: Shahid Afridi
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Addressing a press conference after taking over as PCB chairman, Ramiz Raja announced the appointment of Matthew Hayden and Vernon Philander as coaches for the T20 World Cup. According to Afridi, the move makes little sense. He opined:
“Don't think the new coaching staff (Hayden and Philander) will be able to make much of a difference at the T20 World Cup. This decision to hire new coaches should ideally have been taken after the World Cup.”
He further added that if Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis took the decision to quit themselves and were not forced out, then they had taken a step that could harm Pakistan cricket. Afridi concluded:
“If the coaches who have left quit on their own will, then they have wronged Pakistan cricket. The new ones who have come in will obviously say we have just taken over. I think the same coaches should have stayed till the T20 World Cup.”
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Misbah and Waqar stepped down from their respective roles as head coach and bowling coach on the same day that Pakistan announced their T20 World Cup squad.