The latest reshuffling of the Pakistan cricket team’s senior management, particularly the sudden demotion of Shaheen Afridi as the country’s T20 captain, has attracted some controversy within the cricketing circles.
Sequentially, after a 4-1 series loss to New Zealand prior to the 2024 T20 World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had to make a decision, which was to bring back Babar Azam to the captain side and demote Shaheen from the captaincy.
This was done with the pretext of boosting the performance of the team in the World Cup, but this has generated some arguments about the leadership qualities that Shaheen was offered to demonstrate.
In this article, the author aimed to describe his opinion about the premature decision made by PCB that escalated Shaheen Afridi, and removing him as T20 captain was unjustified, and they should have given him more time to grow in this position.
Short tenure and lack of time
Another major cause of this decision to be considered unfair is the fact that Shaheen Afridi was only given a short amount of time from which he had to lead the team. Captains in any type of sport take time to develop, and therefore, they should be allowed the freedom to make blunders, learn from them, and deliver according to the expectations of their duty.
In the wake of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, Shaheen had been entrusted with the leadership of the T20 team. However, his stint did not last beyond one series. Although Shaheen’s tenure was very short, he did captain Pakistan in a much-anticipated five T20 series against the New Zealand cricket team.
Inherent Challenges of Leadership
Leadership, especially in international cricket, is one of the most challenging roles. Apart from the operation of making decisions on the playing field, it involves handling the feelings, energies, and morale of the team.
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Losing the captaincy so early in his career, Shaheen Afridi has displayed character, which orders him to be a great leader in the future. The best example can be given by how he has performed with the ball, especially the time he has handled rather sticky circumstances as a bowler by giving his best, which is vital when one is a captain.
Shaheen’s Popularity Among Players
It is obvious that Shaheen Afridi was more than just competent as captain, as he was well respected by his fellow team members. Many cricketers, along with the former cricketers and commentators, have lauded Shaheen for having such a cool head, a sharp cricketing mind, and a leader who can motivate people.
One of the main factors that any leader would like to have, especially from his/her subordinates, is trust. The fans tend to get behind the captain, and that is an important thing in forming a strong unit, especially in the T20 form of the game where the morale of the team often leads to victory or defeat.
The outsiders also joined, criticizing the Pakistan Cricket Board for this decision as a former cricketer and an important personality in Pakistan cricket. Moin Khan said that it was quite an unfair decision to remove Shaheen from captaincy, as he enjoyed a good reputation among players.
Decline in Confidence
Another concern is a possible effect on Shaheen Afridi when he was relieved of the captaincy position of his country. Leadership is not just the requirement of the leader in managing the team; it is also the feeling that arises out of being entrusted with the role of leadership. This may have an impact on Shaheen’s performance, as the PCB may have taken away his confidence by stripping him off his captaincy.
Unclear Captaincy Strategy in Pakistan Cricket
So one of the major issues that Pakistan cricket has faced for so many years is being able to set a more consistent standard in leadership. In the recent past, there has been a lot of shuffling between the top management, especially when it comes to the position of the captain, and this has no doubt affected the team.
Continuing with the same trend, by removing Shaheen Afridi immediately after one series, the PCB is not much different. What is required in Pakistan cricket is a strategic vision of long-term leadership.
Frequent changes of captains regarding short-term performances foster an unstable and pressurizing culture for the players; hence, they feel vulnerable and will be substituted next time if they contribute to poor series.
Shaheen’s Potential as a Long-Term Leader
Well, the best option for a long-term captain of the Pakistan cricket team is Shaheen Afridi. He is not so experienced; therefore, one can expect him to develop and transform in the course of his work. Furthermore, he is one of the leading T20 bowlers in the world, and he needs to lead from the front by his own performance, which makes him one of the best choices of captain.
Calmness is a critical factor in T20 cricket as every game involves fast decision-making; thus, Shaheen Shah being able to summarize his bowling experience in the high-stress conditions will be an added advantage to him. This natural talent to play in the crunch moments is something that is required from the Pakistani leader in this format of the game.
Looking at it from this perspective, had more time been afforded to her, she could have grown into that kind of captain who does not only instill winning spirit in himself but also in the whole team.
The Importance of Patience with Captains
Each talented captain has their period of crises despite the capabilities that one has. To do this, it is important to offer them an opportunity for personal development and growth in the face of these and other challenges.
What Pakistan cricket possibly lost by bringing him back to power and then dumping him so soon was the opportunity of watching Shaheen mature into a much better and more stable leader. The decision to relieve Shaheen Afridi of T20 captain when the Tigers had just one series was subtracting from this cricketer’s potential as a leader as well as from the potential of the Pakistan cricket team.
Leadership cannot be cultivated overnight, and therefore, it was time that Shaheen was given an opportunity to work for a longer period to show his capability. The players liked him; he had the innate talent to lead; he could have the potential for the long-awaited triumph—it was obvious that he was the right man for the part.
source link: Removing Shaheen Afridi From Pakistan’s T20I Captaincy Was Unjust’: 1992 World Cup Winner