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29 March 2024

Afridi in line to replace Hafeez as Pakistan captain for World Twenty20

Shahid Afridi of Pakistan celebrateS after hitting the winning runs during the first Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka at Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium on December 11, 2013 in UAE. (GETTY)

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By Staff

Pakistan's dashing all-rounder Shahid Afridi has pulled out of a South African domestic Twenty 20 tournament, the Ram Slam Challenge, to spend time with his family.

Afridi had signed up to represent the Knights during a recent tour to South Africa in the competition to be held in January and February.

However, he has decided to take a break from the game before the Twenty20 World Cup which is scheduled to take place in Bangladesh between March 16 and April 6.
 
"I have decided not to play in the South African league because I want to spend more time with my family," he said. "We have the Asia Cup and World T20 coming up early next year and before that I want to take a break from the game."

Afridi starred in Pakistan's opening T20 win against Sri Lanka in the UAE, becoming the first player to make 1,000 runs and take 50 wickets in the Twenty20 format.

In a related development, Afridi is also being seen as a possible candidate to take over as Pakistan Twenty20 captain from under-fire Mohammad Hafeez.

Acting Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Najam Sethi confirmed that there was pressure on Hafeez to retain his place in the T20 side and the selectors would take a call on the same, Associated Press of Pakistan reported.

Sethi reiterated at a press conference on Sunday that the fate of Hafeez's captaincy for the ICC World Twenty20 was solely in the hands of the national selectors while adding that he was aware that "people" were not happy with the allrounder performances.

“I am not an expert on the cricketing matters and it up to the selectors to decide about his (Mohammad Hafeez) fate as captain,” Sethi told reporters.

“People are not happy with Hafeez's captaincy. But I cannot make a change without the selector's advice. Pakistan needs to groom captains for a long-term basis by looking at players' leadership qualities,” Sethi added.

“What happens next I don't know.”

Hafeez role as captain has come under the scanner after a string of poor performances, highlighted by the allrounder own form with the bat.

Sethi said Misbah-ul-Haq's captaincy leadership had also come under threat but the 39-year-old had silence all his critics with first his bat and then by winning an ODI series in South Africa, making Pakistan the only Asian side to have done so.

“After good results against South Africa in South Africa, he (Misbah) restored confidence in him,” Sethi said.