3 Pakistan captains who were not given enough chances ft. Shaheen Shah Afridi

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday reappointed star batter Babar Azam as the white ball skipper just two months before the start of the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. It brings an abrupt end to Shaheen Afridi's one-series stint as the T20I skipper.

Under Shaheen's leadership, Pakistan lost the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 1-4. The decision was made following a unanimous recommendation from the PCB's selection panel, which the governing body confirmed in a post on X.

Babar was unceremoniously made to step down from the white ball captaincy after Pakistan's below-par performances in the 50-over World Cup. However the reappointment of Babar Azam four months later clearly shows the vindictiveness of the board, which has made many such sackings in the past.

The newly appointed selection panel which includes the likes of Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafiq, and Abdul Razzaq was in favor of reappointing Babar as skipper. Shaheen's PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars performed poorly in the recently concluded PSL, which might have played a role in his sacking.

Having said that, let us have a look at three occasions when a Pakistan captain didn't get enough chances to prove their mettle as a leader.

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#3 Babar Azam

Babar Azam stepped down from Pakistan's captaincy after the fifty over World Cup.

The first name that comes up on the list is none other than the newly appointed white ball skipper Babar Azam. He resigned from the post following Pakistan's shambolic showing at the 50-over World Cup in October-November.

The decision was made after the then PCB chief Zaka Ashraf had made it clear that he would be removed from the white-ball captaincy. Shaheen was made the T20I skipper, while Shan Masood took charge of the Test team.

However, a change in personnel on the board and the selection committee meant there was a whole turn of events with Babar being reappointed in the role ahead of the T20 World Cup. It remains to be seen how long Babar remains captain given the history of the Pakistan board.

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#2 Shoaib Malik

Shoaib Malik took charge of the Pakistan team in 2007.

Another stalwart of Pakistan cricket, Shoaib Malik was sacked from the post of captaincy despite leading his side to some memorable victories. Following Pakistan's early elimination from the 2007 World Cup, there was a revamp in the Pakistan squad with Inzamam-ul-Haq stepping down.

Malik was assigned as the all-format skipper, which came as a surprise to many at that time due to the presence of several senior members in the team. In his first assignment, Malik led his side to a 2-1 series win against Sri Lanka.

He continued his good run as he took Pakistan to the final of the inaugural T20 World Cup, only to lose to India by five runs. During his tenure, Pakistan won the multi-nation Kitply Cup in 2008, beating India in the final.

However, reports emerged of internal rifts in the team and a mix of highs and lows during his tenure eventually led to his removal as skipper. Malik's tenure had mixed reactions, but he could have been given a longer run.

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#1 Shaheen Afridi

Shaheen Afridi could only lead Pakistan in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand.

The whole captaincy saga has taken a new turn now with Shaheen Afridi refusing the statements that were reported earlier. PCB in a statement stated that Shaheen has backed Babar Azam as skipper.

If reports in the Times of India are to be believed, a source close to Afridi revoked the statement adding that Afridi was discontented with the decision and he has also contacted PCB to clarify the statement.

Shaheen was appointed as T20I skipper following Babar Azam's resignation from the post after the 50-over World Cup. Under Afridi's leadership, the Men in Green lost the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 1-4. His PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars also finished last in the recently concluded PSL which worked against Shaheen.