Afridi named captain for all formats

All-rounder Shahid Afridi vowed to do everything possible to revive Pakistan cricket’s fortune after he was named captain for all formats of the game by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Afridi’s who led Pakistan in the recently Twenty20 World Cup in West Indies was confirmed as the national team’s skipper for all three versions of the game by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ejaz Butt on Tuesday.

Pakistan named banned former captains Younus Khan and Shoaib Malik in a preliminary 35-man squad for next month’s Asia Cup and tour of England.

The pair were banned in the wake of a disastrous tour of Australia, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said they would only be included in the final squad if they were successful in their appeals against the sanctions.

“I am really honoured to be picked to lead the national team in all forms of the game and will try my level best to improve Pakistan’s status in the world of cricket,” Afridi told Khaleej Times on telephone from Lahore.

Afridi who was undecided on returning to Test cricket but took the opportunity as a challenge as the team needed someone to stand up and be counted.

“I know the captaincy of Pakistan team is not a bed of roses. However, on the advice of my friends and well-wishers I accepted the assignment as a challenge. “It has been a difficult decision to make but in the end I decided I must take up the challenge as I owe everything to Pakistan cricket and it is not in my character to shirk a challenge,” he added.

Butt, whose handling of the Pakistan cricket had been criticised by all and sundry in the country, told the newsmen that Afridi had the confidence of all players during the World Cup and that was the basic reason he got the job.

“Afridi has the quality of a captain and he has the ability to foster good relations with the players as well as strict in adhering to the rules and regulations of the game. And Afridi has done all that in West Indies,” added Butt.

The selection of Afridi as captain was widely welcomed by former greats and the lovers of cricket in Pakistan.

Butt said that the names of the 30 players for Asia Cup and the English tour will be announced soon after meeting with the selectors, team management and the captain. A training camp for the twin campaigns will start from June 1 in Lahore.

Asia Cup will be played from June 15 to 25 in Sri Lanka while the series against Australia and England will be played between July and August in England.

Agencies add: Pakistan will play in the four-nation Asia Cup in Sri Lanka from June 15-24, before going to England to play two Twenty20 matches and two Tests against Australia and then four Tests, five one-dayers and two T20 games against England.

“We have promised to review the fines and bans on six of our top players, so the names of Younus and Malik will only be included in the final squad after a decision on their appeals,” said Butt.

Butt assured a parliamentary committee that the bans and fines on the players will be reviewed “in the best interest of Pakistan cricket.”

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