Shaheen Afridi reacts after becoming Pakistan T20 captain

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi opened up on Thursday after being appointed as the T20I captain of the national side.

The lanky fast-bowler replaced Babar Azam in the role.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Shaheen said that he is honoured to lead the Men in Green in the shortest format of the game. 

“I am honoured and thrilled to lead our national T20 cricket team. Thank you to the Pakistan cricket board and fans for their trust and support,” Shaheen said.

“I'll give my best to uphold the team spirit and bring glory to our nation on the cricket field.

“Our success lies in unity, trust and relentless effort. We are not just a team; we are a brotherhood, a family. Together, we rise!”

Shaheen's first assignment as captain will be the five-match T20I series in New Zealand in January. The 23-year-old has bagged 64 wickets in 52 T20Is.

Shaheen has also led Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and has helped the side win the tournament twice in two years in the 2022 and 2023 editions.

It must be noted that Azam stepped down from captaincy through a post on social media on Wednesday after the PCB offered him to keep Test captaincy. The 29-year-old refused and informed the board in the meeting that he is resigning from all formats.

Azam was appointed white-ball captain in 2019 and as Test skipper in 2020, but the Green Shirts didn't win any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership.

Left-handed batter Shan Masood has been named as the new Test captain.