“No reason for us to go and play any event in India” – Ex-Pakistan captain's indirect dig at Jay Shah, slams ICC for Champions Trophy ‘Hybrid Model’
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the 2025 Champions ‘Hybrid Model.’ While taking an indirect dig at the new ICC chair Jay Shah, Afridi asked the governing body whether they were only focused on minting profit.
The cricketer-turned-commentator further said that the Men in Green should boycott the upcoming ICC events in India after the Men in Blue said they won’t travel to the neighboring country citing the government’s directive, citing security reasons.
Notably, Pakistan had traveled to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup after saying ‘no’ on several occasions. On the other hand, the 2023 Asia Cup, originally scheduled in Pakistan, was held in a hybrid model in Sri Lanka. The Men in Green, however, played a few games with the other teams at home.
It's worth mentioning that Team India have not traveled to Pakistan since 2008. The two teams last played a bilateral series in 2012-13 in India.
Afridi said at the Urdu Conference held at the Karachi Arts Council (via India Today):
"Pakistan cricket should be strong and self-sufficient and take strong principled decisions. If India can't come and play in Pakistan then there is no reason for us to go and play any event in India.”
“Even the ICC now has to decide whether its responsibility is to ensure every member nation gets to play cricket or it just wants to make money,” he added.
India are likely to play their Champions Trophy games in UAE. The 50-over ICC tournament is scheduled to take place in March and February next year.
“It affected him” – Shahid Afridi on removing Shaheen Afridi as Pakistan T20I captain
Shahid Afridi further targeted the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for appointing Shaheen Afridi as T20I captain and removing him as skipper after a 1-4 loss, straight after one series. The 44-year-old said the decision has affected Shaheen.
He, however, credited the cricket board for appointing wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan as white-ball captain, saying it should have happened in the first place.
“When Shaheen was made Pakistan T20 captain I was against it and I said that the board should have made Muhammad Rizwan the captain as he was the best choice. But once they made Shaheen captain it was also wrong for the PCB to remove him as captain after just one series. It affected him,” Afridi said in the same interaction.
Pakistan will next be seen in action in a two-match Test series in South Africa. The first Test will be played in Durban, starting on December 10.