Shahid Afridi has been picked to lead Pakistan in the World Twenty20 Championship in West Indies later next month, DawnNews quoted a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) source as saying on Monday
The board made the decision in collaboration with the selection committee and the coach but the official announcement will be made tomorrow, the source said.
The news comes after weeks of speculation on the issue of captaincy for which Misbah-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq and Salman Butt were the other contenders.
In an odd move on March 12, the PCB had announced a 15-member squad for the event but had held back on naming a captain. After weeks of deliberations, it was learnt that the board had decided on the matter but was waiting to officially reveal the name of the captain on March 23, Pakistan Day.
Barring a u-turn from the PCB, Shahid Afridi will lead the side in Twent20s while the issue of naming a captain for tests and ODIs would be put on the backburner.
“We are only naming a captain for this format and tournament right now and nothing else,” Ijaz Butt had told Cricinfo earlier.
Disappointed, but for the sake of Pakistan cricket we need to get behind him and support him. Lets just hope he doesnt feel hungry during the matches or doesn’t feel the pitch is too dry to warrant a rain dance.
Pretty much what we expected. But now the question is would the other contenders give their 100%.
There is only one person who does not give his 100% if he is not the captain and he is the captain so I think the rest of the team will give their 100%.
If Shahid Afridi is leading the side than Pakistani team is surely to make a splashing start lead and win many games. The only thing that I will be watching is if He has the nerves to finish the tournament.
All depends on Afridi. This is his moment. Let's see.
Allrounder Shahid Khan Afridi has been appointed captain of the national team for the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup to be held in West Indies from April 30.
Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ijaz Butt decided to appoint Afridi as captain after consulting with the PCB think tank and team coach Waqar Younis.
This may be recalled that chief selector Mohsin Khan had announced the team for the T20 World Cup on march 12 but left the appointment of captain on discretion of the PCB chairman who after eleven days has now finally announced it.
Afridi has been Pakistan's captain in the T20 format since the last year, but was temporarily out of the picture after he was found guilty of ball-tampering in an ODI at Perth earlier this year.
He was banned for two T20Is by the ICC and was further punished by the board , who handed him a hefty fine. But he has widely tipped as the leading candidate over the last few days.
