Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has finally broken his silence after stepping down as the captain of the national men's T20 team a few weeks before the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
Shaheen took over the Pakistan T20I captaincy after Babar Azam stepped down following the team's disappointing performance in the ICC World Cup 2023.
However, the left-arm fast bowler was sacked less than six months after Babar was reinstated as Pakistan's white-ball captain.
Shaheen Afridi could only captain Pakistan in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand earlier this year.
Meanwhile, while interacting with the media in Karachi, Shaheen claimed that losing the captaincy had little effect on him as he preferred Pakistan the most.
For me, Pakistan comes first. Then the team, and then me. I don't live in the past, I live in the present said Shaheen.
I don't think about the future because if you are doing well, the future takes care of itself. Whether I get the captaincy or not, those things are not in my control and I don't play my cricket for those things.
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Notably Shaheen Afridi's figures back up his remarks as the left-arm fast bowler took 23 wickets at an average of 14.34 under Babar Azam's captaincy, including six three-wicket hauls.
I play cricket to serve Pakistan, and I will play it with honor and win more games for Pakistan Shaheen added. I don't look at the negative reports [written about me]. Because if I look at them, how will I perform for Pakistan?
My intention has always been to fight for the side, and I will continue to fight. I don't see negative things. As long as I play I will do it proudly for Pakistan.
