Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi questioned the leadership of skipper Babar Azam following the Men in Green’s early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024.
Speaking to an Indian news agency, the former all-rounder said that the role of the leader is of much importance for the team.
The body language of the leader becomes the body language of the team. The leader has to set an example,” said Afridi. “Take Rohit Sharma as an example. Now, look at his game and his style of playing; the lower-order batsmen who come in are all confident because the captain likes to play aggressive and attacking cricket. So, I always believe that the role of the captain is very important.”
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan whit-ball captain Babar Azam received severe backlash following Pakistan’s exit from the T20 World Cup 2024 in the group stage.
Read more: ‘Babar Azam should have played under Shaheen Afridi’
The Men in Green suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of the United States of America (USA) in their opening game followed by another heartbreaking defeat to India.
While Babar Azam’s men won their fixtures against Ireland and Canada, they failed to advance to the Super 8 stage of the tournament.
Respond to a question regarding his potential role in the improvement of Pakistan cricket, Shahid Afridi said that he was open play his role but only at the grassroots level.
“I am always available for Pakistan cricket, but at the grassroots level, there is no need for me with the Pakistan team. Whatever is needed is at the grassroots level,” he added.
Discussing the team’s performance in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024, he termed it unsatisfactory.
“Overall, if the performance had been good, you wouldn’t be asking this question. Let’s see what the chairman has said about making major changes to the team. I am also waiting to see what these changes will be, and you are too,” the former all-rounder said.
The former captain also mentioned the state of the grassroots level of cricket saying, “Our product is weak at the grassroots level, and if we invest there, good players will emerge. The real changes needed are at the grassroots level.”
