"Rashid Khan was our main bowler..." - Shaheen Afridi opens up on Lahore Qalandars' poor start in PSL 2024

Lahore Qalandars skipper Shaheen Afridi is confident his team will turn things around in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL 2024) season. The two-time defending champions have started their title defence in a disastrous fashion.

They have lost their first two games of the campaign. In the tournament opener, the Qalandars suffered an eight-wicket loss at the hands of Islamabad United before losing to Quetta Gladiators by five wickets. In both the games, the Qalandars batsmen did well but the bowlers failed to perform well. Against Islamabad, the bowlers failed to defend 195 runs before failing to defend 187 against the Gladiators.

One of the reasons behind the Qalandars’ struggle with the ball is the absence of star spinner Rashid Khan. The Afghanistan spin spearhead is currently sidelined with a back injury and will miss the entire season of the PSL. Shaheen Afridi has rued the absence of the leg-spinner but is confident that his teammates will step up.

“Rashid was our main bowler, crucial in the middle overs, taking wickets. He cannot be replaced, but we also need to maintain balance in the team. We hope Sikandar’s arrival will be beneficial,” Shaheen Afridi told Cricket Pakistan.

“I think Sikandar is the kind of bowler who can fill Rashid’s absence, and then Salman, who played his first match in the PSL, I believe they will step up and perform well,” he added.

Shaheen Afridi on captaincy:

Shaheen Afridi also shared his experience on the captaincy. He has been leading the Qalandars since 2022. In his maiden season as the captain, he led the team to its first-ever PSL title before helping them defend it in 2023. Last year, he also replaced Babar Azam as Pakistan’s T20I captain. The left-arm pacer also stated that the ongoing PSL is a good opportunity for the Pakistan players to prepare for this year’s T20 World Cup.

“I am enjoying leading my team. I am trying to take the team along with me. It’s a great opportunity because I am not just the captain of Lahore Qalandars but also of Pakistan, so I am taking the players along as well, and enjoying it,” Shaheen Afridi said.

“We have to see how our 20-25 players perform in the PSL. This is a good opportunity for all of us to prepare for the T20 World Cup,” he added.