Coaches ditch new captains idea

In the wake of Pakistan's recent cricketing struggles, both white-ball and red-ball coaches, Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, have advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) against making hasty decisions regarding the team captains.

The call for stability comes as debates intensify over the leadership of the national side in both formats.

Following the ODI World Cup 2023, Babar Azam was removed from his role as the white-ball captain, with Shaheen Afridi stepping in.

However, Afridi's tenure was cut short after a disappointing series. Babar's resignation from Test captaincy led to Shan Masood being appointed as the new Test captain. Under Masood's leadership, Pakistan recently faced a setback with a home series loss to Bangladesh, prompting discussions about his future.

Despite these challenges, a source close to the PCB has recently dispelled rumors about potential changes in captaincy.

The source further highlighted that Kirsten and Gillespie advocate for giving both captains a fair chance to prove their leadership.

"There has been no discussion on changing the captains as the PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has left it up to the two coaches and selectors to decide on the captaincy," the source said.

"Kirsten and Gillespie are very clear that Shan and Babar both need to be given a proper run before judging their leadership abilities," he added.

The topic of changing captains is not anticipated to be addressed at the upcoming "Connection Camp" workshop, scheduled for later this month in Lahore. This workshop aims to align domestic cricket standards with international expectations and will involve input from domestic team coaches, selectors, and contracted players.

"That workshop is being held to hear the views of all stakeholders, mainly the domestic team coaches, selectors and contracted players so that the board is able to bridge the gap between domestic cricket and international cricket standards, The workshop is basically being held because both the coaches want the domestic team coaches to have a clear picture of what is required from them to ensure a flow of players who can be considered for selection for the national teams in all formats," the source concluded.

Saud dubs Champions Cup important

Pakistan Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel is set to lead the Dolphins in the inaugural Champions One-Day Cup, which kicks off at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on Thursday, 12 September.

The tournament will see its finale on 29 September, featuring five teams in a round-robin format, with all matches (except for 16 September) starting at 3pm local time.

The Dolphins, under the mentorship of former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, will face off against Shadab Khan's Panthers, who will be guided by former off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, in their opening match on Saturday, 14 September.

Shakeel, who has represented Pakistan in 15 ODIs, expressed confidence in his team's combination and emphasized the impact of Sarfaraz Ahmed's mentorship.

"We have a well-balanced side going into the Champions One-Day Cup," Saud told PCB Digital, adding: "The focus is on maintaining a strong combination of experienced players and young talent. This tournament provides an opportunity to the players to prove their mettle and impress the selectors to get selected in the national team.

"Having Sarfaraz Ahmed in the team as a player and mentor is a massive boost for us. His insights and leadership on and off the field will help young players to develop their game."

The middle-order batter highlighted the significance of the tournament, noting, "This inaugural edition of the Champions One-Day Cup is going to be crucial for domestic cricket in Pakistan.

"It gives players a big stage to showcase their skills, especially in the 50-over format, which is vital with the upcoming international fixtures. The competition will be intense and it will provide fans to come in good amount to cherish their favourite players performances."