Sports

Shahid Afridi steps down from T20 captaincy

Veteran all-rounder announced his decision in a press release

Sports Desk April 03, 2016

PHOTO: FILE

Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Afridi announced in a press release on Sunday that he is relinquishing the captaincy of the Pakistan T20 team with immediate affect.

"Today I wish to inform my fans in Pakistan and all over the world that I am relinquishing the captaincy of the T20 Pakistani team of my own volition," he said.

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https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/716570131825037316

Just in: Shahid Afridi steps down as Pakistan's T20 captain, says he wants to continue playing for the country https://t.co/hwoTrbGnQk
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 3, 2016

However, the player who represented Pakistan in 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 98 T20Is, vows to carry on playing for the country as a player.

"I would also like to inform that InshAllah I intend to continue to play the game for my country," he said further, adding that, "For me it was a great honour to lead my country in all three formats of the game.

Concluding the announcement, Afridi thanked the nation for its support.

Thank u Pakistan
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) April 3, 2016

The 36-year-old faced severm's dise criticism after the teamal show in the recently concluded Asia Cup and ICC World T20, where the Men in Green managed to win only three out eight matches.

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Head coach Waqar Younis and team manager Intikhab Alam also crticised Afridi for his leadership skill in their post tournament reports.

Waqar in his report criticises T20I captain's specific decisions during Pakistan’s loss to India, New Zealand and Australia. Moreover, the 44-year-old recommended that drastic measures need to be taken for the betterment of Pakistan cricket.

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Pakistan team was able to bag only win in their World T20 campaign and that too against Bangladesh.

On the other hand, team manager Intikhab Alam, in his report submitted to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Fact-Finding committee, has claimed Shahid Afridi is an ‘absolutely clueless’ captain.

Twitter was abuzz when news broke of his decision.

Shahid Afridi steps down as captain and retired his thought of retiring from the team.......... yet again!
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) April 3, 2016

Shahid Afridi drops retirement plan, steps down as captain https://t.co/ZlFWG6cZHc pic.twitter.com/8D2YqUmwLA
— Syed Sujjad Pasha (@ImSujjad) April 3, 2016

https://twitter.com/asad_abro/status/716576708816674816
https://twitter.com/alanwilkins22/status/716572262254641152

Shahid Afridi formally steps down as Pakistan's T20 captain, will continue to play Cricket and available for team as player. #Cricket #Pak
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) April 3, 2016

COMMENTS (8)

Motiwala | 8 years ago | Reply No! No! Please! Just retire and go away, somewhere. Anywhere! Your country does not need you. It will loose again because of YOU.

SK | 8 years ago | Reply It is puzzling why Shahid Afridi wishes to cling to cricket when he has played twenty years. Twenty is long enough, even if he is fit as he says, he has now a moral obligation to chances to other youngsters. He should learn from Australian team cricketers who were far more famous than Afridi and who had contributed far more to Australian Cricket Announced their retirement gracefully when they realised they have the reached the pinnacle of their careers and carrying any further would be a burden to the team.