"He is an excellent choice for captaincy in T20s" - Moin Khan questions PCB for moving on from Shaheen Shah Afridi quickly
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Moin Khan has questioned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for sacking Shaheen Shah Afridi as T20I captain quite rapidly. The 52-year-old opined that no one is currently as capable as Shaheen to lead the national team in the shortest format.
With Babar Azam stepping down as Pakistan's white-ball captain after the 2023 ODI World Cup, the PCB appointed Shaheen as the skipper of the T20I side. However, the left-arm pacer had captained only one series as the board reinstated Babar into the role ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.
Moin noted that moving on from Shaheen as captain was unjust and observed that the ace speedster's performances have declined ever since.
"Shaheen Afridi has the ability to lead the team and is highly liked by the players. He is an excellent choice for captaincy in T20s. In white-ball cricket, I don't see anyone else suitable for the role. Removing him from the captaincy was unjust. He is one of the best T20 players, and I've noticed his performance has slightly declined since he was removed from the captaincy," he told CricketPakistan.pk.
Moin also called for the PCB to appoint a captain on a long-term basis and hinted at Mohammad Rizwan.
"A single captain can be appointed for all formats of cricket, but it's crucial for any player to perform across all formats to achieve this. Whoever becomes captain should have the responsibility for a long term. There is no doubt about Mohammad Rizwan's abilities; any criticism against him might be due to his age," he added.
With Babar Azam overseeing Pakistan's forgettable T20 World Cup 2024 campaign, reports indicate he could be replaced as the white-ball captain again. Shan Masood's reign as the Test skipper is also under doubt after losing his first five matches.
"India must honor ICC commitments" - Moin Khan
With the 2025 Champions Trophy looming, Moin Khan suggested the (Board of Control for Cricket in India) BCCI keep politics out of cricket and visit Pakistan for the tournament. He believes India-Pakistan matches will benefit the sport massively.
"In my view, Indian cricket legends should advise the BCCI to keep sports separate from politics. Fans worldwide want India and Pakistan to play, benefiting not just Pakistan but the sport as a whole. India must honor ICC commitments, and if they don't, Pakistan should also consider taking a stand by not participating in future tournaments in India," he said in the same interaction.
The 2025 Champions Trophy is scheduled for February, but the official dates are yet to be announced by the ICC.