(AFP Photo)

Michael Vaughan, the former England captain known for his outspokenness in cricket circles, has weighed in on Pakistan’s disappointing start in the T20 World Cup 2024. Vaughan, never one to shy away from expressing his opinions, has suggested that Pakistan should consider reinstating Shaheen Shah Afridi as the team’s captain.

In a discussion on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, Vaughan remarked, “I think they need to go back to Shaheen [as skipper]. Clearly, they are a better team when they’re juggling the captaincy around a bit.”

Vaughan’s comment prompted one of the podcast members to jestingly ask if Pakistan should sack Babar Azam mid-match. Responding in jest, Vaughan humorously remarked, “If there was ever a team in the history of cricket to do that kind of thing [sacking the captain] mid-match, Pakistan are favorites to deliver that kind of sacking.”

For context, Shaheen Shah Afridi was appointed as Pakistan’s T20I captain last year following Pakistan’s lackluster performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup under Babar Azam’s leadership. Babar subsequently announced his resignation as captain across all formats via a post on X after the disappointing showing in India. This led to Shaheen being named T20I captain, while Shan Masood took over the Test captaincy. However, a change in management at the Pakistan Cricket Board resulted in Babar’s reinstatement as the captain across formats.

Babar Azam’s return to leadership hasn’t brought the desired results for Pakistan. After a defeat in a four-match T20I series against England, they suffered setbacks against the USA and India in the T20 World Cup 2024. Michael Vaughan didn’t hold back in his assessment of Pakistan’s performance against India, stating on the podcast, “Pakistan just cannot beat India… They don’t believe. That’s my fundamental summary of the game: Pakistan, they… Do not believe they can beat India. Simple as that.”

Pakistan now find themselves in a precarious position in their pursuit of international success. They must rely on either the USA or India making mistakes in the tournament to have a chance at qualifying for the Super 8 stage. Additionally, Pakistan must secure a victory against Ireland in their upcoming match to keep their hopes alive in the competition. The pivotal showdown is scheduled for June 16 at the Central Broward Region Park.