Shahid Afridi breaks silence on Mohammad Rizwan's appointment as captain and Fakhar Zaman's contract snub

Legendary Pakistan National Cricket Team all-rounder Shahid Afridi has opened up on the appointment of the star wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan as the new skipper of the white-ball team.

Shahid Afridi also addressed the recent controversy surrounding the veteran batsman Fakhar Zaman, who was dropped from the list of the centrally contracted players as well as the Pakistan squad for the Australia and Zimbabwe tours.

I’m thrilled that PCB has entrusted him with this important responsibility - Shahid Afridi on Mohammad Rizwan

On Sunday, October 27, Mohammad Rizwan was officially unveiled as the new white-ball captain of Pakistan, along with Salman Ali Agha as his deputy. He replaced Babar Azam in the role after the Pakistan superstar relinquished the captaincy.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Shahid Afridi took to his official X handle to praise the Pakistan Cricket Board for Mohammad Rizwan's appointment as skipper. He also expressed confidence in Mohammad Rizwan's abilities to meet the expectations of the Pakistan fans. Afridi wrote:

"If you’re searching for a captain who embodies strategy, fearlessness, positivity, energy and passion, look no further than Rizwan. I’m thrilled that @TheRealPCB has entrusted him with this important responsibility. I have full confidence that he will propel this white-ball team forward and meet the high expectations of those who want to see Pakistan cricket thrive and succeed."

Regarding Fakhar Zaman, let’s ensure we maximise the potential of this talented match-winner - Shahid Afridi

Fakhar Zaman was recently left out of the central contracts list and dropped from the Pakistan white-ball squad. At a press conference, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi revealed that the reason behind his snub was his controversial tweet questioning Babar Azam's omission as well as him failing the fitness test.

Meanwhile, the legendary all-rounder also addressed the situation of Fakhar Zaman, saying that the PCB should ensure they maximize the potential of the 'talented match-winner'.

Shahid Afridi stated that Fakhar Zaman has the ability to lead Pakistan to victories in matches, series, and tournaments and should be given a chance to return. He stated:

"Regarding Fakhar Zaman, let’s ensure we maximise the potential of this talented match-winner. It’s crucial to engage with him and leverage his abilities at this prime stage of his career. He has the power to lead us to victory in matches, series and tournaments."

If you’re searching for a captain who embodies strategy, fearlessness, positivity, energy and passion, look no further than Rizwan. I’m thrilled that @TheRealPCB has entrusted him with this important responsibility. I have full confidence that he will propel this white-ball team…

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) October 28, 2024

You can't express how much honored you are - Mohammad Rizwan

In a video shared by PCB, Mohammad Rizwan spoke about his appointment as white-ball captain. Rizwan said that representing the nation on a global stage is a great honor for him, and becoming captain is something extremely special. He elaborated:

"It is a dream for any player to play for Pakistan, it is a great honor. After that, becoming the captain of the Pakistan team. It is difficult to describe. You can't express how much honored you are. But I will give this honor in two ways. One way is that all my previous captains have been honored by me. Simple as they were.

"The second is that all my previous captains have been honored by him. I consider them as head of 24-25 crore people. It's a challenge for me. On the one hand, it is an honor, and on the other hand, it's challenging. That how the team accepts this. So Inshallah, I will try to balance both."