Shadab opens up about Pakistan’s T20I captaincy debate

Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has offered insights into the complexities of Pakistan's T20I captaincy, leadership transitions and the importance of patience in fostering change within the team.

Speaking in the post-match presser, Shadab emphasized that immediate transformations aren't feasible when introducing new leadership. He stressed the significance of acknowledging failures in the initial stages of any process and learning from them. 

"Whenever you bring someone in, things can't change immediately. It takes time. We want many things to change immediately, but that's not how it works; it's a process. In this process, there are mostly failures in the beginning, and it's important to see how we accept those failures," Shadab said.

Shadab highlighted the need for continuity in captaincy, advocating for giving players ample time to execute their strategies and methods effectively.

"Even now, look, we've given Shaheen a series, and we're contemplating changing his captaincy. It shouldn't be like this because in the long term, one should be given a chance to captain properly according to his process, his method. Because we want to experiment, win series as well, which can lead to issues. A captain has his own thought process, and right now, it's unclear because discussions about changing the captain start after just one series. With the World Cup coming up, I think we need to identify players for the long run so that by the time we reach the World Cup, our issues are resolved," he further added.

The discussion around Pakistan's T20I captaincy has intensified following the underwhelming performance of Lahore Qalandars in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) campaign under Shaheen Afridi's leadership. Despite leading the franchise to consecutive titles in previous seasons, Shaheen has struggled to replicate that success this season.

As a consequence, Shaheen's captaincy position in Pakistan's T20 team is reportedly under jeopardy. Speculation is rife that wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan could be appointed as the new captain, with discussions also revolving around former skipper Babar Azam's potential return to the leadership role.

It is worth noting that Shaheen took over as Pakistan's T20 captain after Babar stepped down following the ODI World Cup in India last year. Babar's decision came after Pakistan's failure to qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament. Under Shaheen's captaincy, Pakistan endured a challenging series against New Zealand earlier this year, losing 1-4 despite clinching the final game of the series.