"Give him time" - Shahid Afridi lashes out at PCB amid reports of Shaheen Afridi losing his T20I captaincy 

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has come out in support of his son-in-law, Shaheen Afridi, amid speculation surrounding the left-arm pacer's T20I captaincy.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) under new chairman Mohsin Naqvi, is reportedly considering re-appointing Babar Azam as Pakistan's T20I skipper ahead of the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup.

Babar had relinquished captaincy across all formats following the Men in Green's group-stage exit at the 2023 ODI World Cup last year. Following his exit, Shaheen was named the new T20I captain, while Shan Masood was handed the leadership role for Tests.

Reacting to the recent developments, Shahid Afridi opined that Shaheen should be given enough time to prove his credentials as the T20I captain. Here's what the 47-year-old said during a media interaction:

"I think that if you have appointed someone as captain (Shaheen) and given him the responsibility then give him time as well. The biggest problem with our cricket is that our system changes whenever the faces change in the board."

"Whoever comes thinks whatever he is doing is the best for Pakistan cricket. If you change the captain then either the decision to appoint him was wrong or the decision to change him now is wrong," he added.

It is worth mentioning that Shaheen Afridi has led Pakistan in just one T20I series so far. His stint began with a 1-4 series loss to New Zealand earlier this year.

The lanky speedster also had a dismal run as the captain of Lahore Qalandars in the recently concluded season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2024). Lahore finished as the wooden spooners, managing to win just one match from 10 outings.

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"The staff under him should be Pakistani" - Shahid Afridi in favor of PCB appointing a foreign coach

Shahid Afridi also discussed Pakistan potentially hiring a foreign coach for the national team. He opined that while it would be the right move to rope in a proven campaigner for the role, the board should ensure that a few Pakistanis are also part of the team management.

He remarked:

"I believe that even if you bring a foreign coach, the staff under him should be Pakistani so that our people can also move forward and improve their skills."

According to reports from the Pakistani media, the likes of Shane Watson, Mike Hesson, and Darren Sammy have rejected the offer to coach Pakistan. The board has now approached former New Zealand cricketer Luke Ronchi for the position.