Don’t understand PCB’s selection criteria; Babar should have power: Shahid Afridi

Lahore: Former Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi on Wednesday said that he was unable to understand the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) selection criteria for players.

Talking to media in Lahore, the 44-year-old said that the most important role in the selection of the team is played by the captain as they have to make decisions on field. "There is a lot of pressure on the skipper,” Afridi said during a MoU signing ceremony between his and Governor of Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar’s foundation.

“The captain also has to answer questions to the media. If you want to take Babar Azam with you in the future, you have to give him power. We have to work with him.”

The former cricketer added that selectors, coaches, and captains form a team together. "Now, I am hearing that there are differences between them but these matters should not be leaked. It's wrong to leak internal matters of the board,” he said.

Read: Babar Azam unimpressed with chief selector over Imad Wasim snub: report

Questioning the PCB’ selection criteria, Afridi said that he did not understand the method of selection on which players are picked.

"Players who have merely played two matches are being selected,” he said. “For instance, Naseem Shah was selected and he was allowed to play with very experienced bowlers. But now, he is nowhere to be seen. If you invest in a player, you have to take them forward with the team.”

The veteran cricketer also said that PCB’s lack of planning is to be blamed for the postponement of Pakistan Super League (PSL) edition six. “PCB was aware that handling the COVID-19 situation was a challenge, therefore, it should have been prepared accordingly,” he said.

"I don't think the PSL should have been postponed. It is a very big brand of Pakistan and is our honour but the PCB did not seem to have a Plan B in place.”

PSL 2021 was postponed earlier this month after multiple players who were part of tournament’s bio-secure bubble had tested positive for Covid-19.

Afridi said that it was likely for athletes to test positive for the coronavirus but the PCB should have been prepared better to handle the situation. “Ideally, those who had tested positive should have been asked to quarantine instead of postponing the event altogether," he said.

"The PCB should have given international players the option to either stay or leave the country, but the PSL shouldn't have been delayed. But the PCB did not have a contingency plan in place [to make decisions]."

Read: Quetta Gladiators owner says PCB 90% responsible for PSL 6 bubble burst

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