'If you change the captain then..': Shahid Afridi comes ALL OUT in defence of son-in-law Shaheen

In the midst of rumours about Shaheen Shah Afridi's future as the captain of the Pakistan T20 team, former captain of Pakistan Shahid Afridi defended his son-in-law and emphasised the need of stability in leadership. Afridi challenged the trend of frequent leadership changes in cricket by urging the community to give Shaheen time to establish himself. He also urged for a well-known foreign coach and voiced hope for the futures of Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir.

What did Shahid Afridi say about Shaheen Shah Afridi? 

After rumours circulated that the tall pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi would lose his position as the national T20 captain, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi stepped forward to defend his son-in-law.

"I think that if you have appointed someone as captain (Shaheen) and given him the responsibility then give him time as well," Afridi told the media in Karachi on Tuesday.

"The biggest problem with our cricket is that our system changes whenever the faces change in the board. Whoever comes thinks whatever he is doing is the best for Pakistan cricket," said Afridi.

Afridi remarked that Shaheen should be given adequate time to prove himself.

"If you change the captain then either the decision to appoint him was wrong or the decision to change him now is wrong," he added.

Afridi was regarded as one of the primary motivators for Shaheen's nomination as national T20 skipper following last year's ODI World Cup in India. Babar Azam was replaced as Pakistan's white-ball captain after the team failed to advance past the league stage. The skipper then stepped down from the red-ball format.

Afridi also supported the selection of a foreign coach, but said he should be a well-known figure such as Andy Flower, who has a proven track record.

"I believe that even if you bring in a foreign coach, the staff under him should be Pakistani so that our people can also move forward and improve their skills," he said.

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Asked about the decision to include Imad Wasim and Muhammad Amir in the national training camp, Afridi felt it would have been better to first assess their fitness.

"But I can tell you that if they can come through this two-week training camp in Kakul they will be supermen," he said.

Amir, back from retirement after 2020, has also backed Shaheen as T20 captain.

He tweeted, "Shaheen is not bad and I think he should be given time to prove his credentials." 

(With major inputs from PTI)