Shahid Afridi express interest to play a role in Pakistan cricket administration

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has expressed interest in playing a role in Pakistan cricket administration in the near future. However, he did make it clear that it is not an immediate goal and he is happy to continue playing franchise cricket.

"I haven't thought too much about it (joining PCB) right now, but yes, why not?" the 40-year-old said in an interview to PTI.

"Someday, I would like to play a more prominent role in Pakistan cricket and give something back to the game. I would do anything to see Pakistan cricket at the top of world cricket in all formats," he added.

The veteran said that he was happy at the current form of the Pakistan team and said that new Test skipper Babar Azam should be allowed to settle into his job.

"Babar has a good T20 captaincy record too, so let us give him a chance and see if he is capable of handling the pressure of captaining Pakistan," Afridi said.

Talking about the sacking of Azhar Ali as the Test



skipper, Afridi said that although he was sympathetic towards Ali, he felt that it was on the cards once they lost to Australia and England.

"I don't want to be too harsh on Azhar because he tried to build a legacy under his captaincy," Afridi said.

"But despite his hundred against Sri Lanka and win against both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the series loss to Australia and finally the loss to England perhaps didn't go down too well with the management," he added on the PCB's decision to elevate Babar Azam to Test captaincy.

When asked if the Pakistan team of the present has lost the formidable look it had in '80s and '90s and even early 2000s, the veteran of 398 ODIs, 99 T20Is and 27 Tests said that eras can't be simply compared.

"It will be very unfair to compare the current cricketers with the legends of the past.

"Give them some more time to mature, they are good and with some maturity, they will also develop the frightening qualities in them."