PAK vs ENG: Danish Kaneria slams PCB for appointing Shaheen Afridi as skipper in Champions Cup

Former spinner Danish Kaneria criticized the Pakistani team management's decision to appoint Shaheen Afridi as a captain for the Champions One-Day Cup 2024. Danish Kaneria questioned why Shaheen Afridi was removed from a leadership role earlier if he is now in contention for captaincy.

Shaheen Afridi (Lions), Mohammad Rizwan (Wolves), Shadab Khan (Panthers), Saud Shakeel (Dolphins), and Mohammad Haris (Stallions) have been appointed as captains for their respective teams in the Champions One-Day Cup. The tournament will take place in Faisalabad from September 12 to 29.

Should Have Shown Faith In Shaheen Afridi - Danish Kaneria

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Danish Kaneria opened up about Shaheen Afridi's appointment as a captain in the Champions One-Day Cup. He emphasized that the management should have shown more faith in Afridi earlier.

"If Shaheen Afridi has been made the captain, it means that he is being considered to lead Pakistan in the future. Why did you remove him in the first place then? They should have shown faith in him," Kaneria said.

Afridi was appointed Pakistan's T20I captain after Babar Azam stepped down from captaincy following Pakistan's group-stage exit during the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, he was removed from the role after leading the team in just one series in New Zealand, where they suffered a 4-1 defeat.

You've Lost In Red-Ball Cricket - Danish Kaneria

The former Pakistani spinner also criticized the appointment of Misbah-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Malik as mentors for the tournament. Kaneria said that the mentors should have been utilized to improve Pakistan's Test team.

"Pakistan have roped in many mentors for the Champions One-Day Cup. What is this? You've lost in red-ball cricket and shifting your focus to white-ball cricket," Kaneria added.

The Shan Masood-led Pakistan Test team faced heavy criticism following a 2-0 home series defeat against Bangladesh. It is worth mentioning that it was Bangladesh's first-ever Test series victory over Pakistan.

Babar Azam Hasn't Performed And Is Out Of Form - Danish Kaneria

Danish Kaneria said that Babar Azam should return to domestic cricket to regain his form and confidence. Kaneria highlighted that Babar's recent Test performances have been disappointing.

"The selectors should ask him to play domestic cricket. They should make him understand that while he is a good player, he hasn't performed and is out of form," Kaneria commented.

"You won't be able to fix things unless you get the basics right. Babar should give some time to domestic cricket. He will be able to regain his form and confidence by scoring big runs in domestic cricket."

Babar Azam has struggled to score runs in the longer format of the game. The star batter has failed to cross the 50-run mark in his last 16 Test innings. He last scored a half-century against New Zealand in December 2022. He managed to score only 64 runs across four innings against Bangladesh.

Also read: PAK vs ENG: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) comes face-to-face with another board before ICC Champions Trophy 2025