Pakistan Cricket Board mulls Waqar Younis, Shahid Afridi for post-World Cup roles

Former cricketers Waqar Younis, Aqib Javed, and Shahid Afridi are being considered for significant roles within the Pakistan Board and team structure following the World Cup. Additionally, the names of Younis Khan and Azhar Ali are also in discussion for a new setup that will be established after the interim arrangement ends. The Zaka Ashraf-led 12-member committee overseeing the PCB has been granted a three-month extension until February next year.

An insider from the PCB shared that key positions, such as chief selector, Director of cricket, and coaching staff for the national team, will soon be open for appointments. Zaka Ashraf, leading the cricket management committee, has already begun talks about potential plans and appointments for the future post-World Cup, especially with the Pakistan squad’s upcoming tours to Australia and New Zealand. Even the name of Shoaib Malik was under consideration for either captain or coach of the national T20 side. Decisions regarding this will be made post evaluations of team performance at the Asia Cup and the World Cup, following consultations with former players

Waqar, Aqib, and Younis have had coaching roles with the team. Babar has faced criticism for his captaincy, leadership, and batting form in the World Cup, though he’s defended himself. Former cricket greats Wasim Akram and Shahid Afridi criticized Babar Azam’s recent comments made at a press conference. They advised Babar to focus on his on-field performance rather than engaging in verbal exchanges. Both Afridi and Akram emphasized that Babar should concentrate on delivering strong performances, stating that a player’s actions on the field hold more weight than any verbal responses. Afridi highlighted the importance of silencing critics through excellent play, while Akram aid that Babar must understand that, “If you do well, everything goes fine. But if you don’t, then you have to be answerable to people and in the media.”