ISLAMABAD: Shaheen Shah Afridi who left the national training camp at Kakul the other day due to some domestic commitments will directly join the team at the Iftar dinner to be hosted by the Chief of Army Staff General Asem Munir in the team’s honour in Rawalpindi on Monday.
Afridi’s early departure from the camp and his meaningful Tweet the other day gave birth to many speculations including his not getting along well with some of his colleagues or his getting upset and frustrated at losing captaincy.
“Never ever put me in a position where I have to show how cruel and ruthless I can be. Don’t test my passions because I might be the kindest and sweetest person you have ever met; but once I reach my limit, you will see me do the things that no one thought I was capable of doing.”
Afridi cited domestic commitments as the reason for his early departure from the camp. ‘The News’ has learned the bowler has not recovered from the news he received of his premature termination as a captain. Zaka Ashraf, the former Chairman PCB Management Committee was the one who named him Pakistan T20 captain till this June’s T20 World Cup, a decision that has continued to haunt Pakistan cricket since then.
The transition from one captain to another has not gone well so far. Babar Azam however has been successful in winning the confidence of the majority of cricketers who are expected to be part of the World Cup squad. The PCB management is optimistic that the dust, if there is any, will settle down shortly as every cricketer wants to give his best for the country. Meanwhile, the PCB has decided in principle to go with local coaches in the series against the visiting New Zealand team. Kiwis team that misses almost 12 first-choice cricketers for one reason or the other, lands on April 14 to play five T20 internationals in Pakistan, starting with the first one at the Pindi Stadium on April 18.
“There are good chances that Mohammad Yousuf and another member of the selection committee, most probably Abdul Razzaq, would be asked to look after the team’s coaching during the series against New Zealand allowing the PCB to interview, shortlist, and finalize the name of foreign coach by the end of April. In all probabilities Pakistan would have a new foreign coach before the start of the tour to Ireland and England for the T20 series,” the source confirmed. Meanwhile, the physical training camp at Kakul is in the final stages with a good number of players having already completed the required standard of fitness while the rest are to complete it by Sunday.
