Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has responded to questions over his future as skipper ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027. He said that, for the time being, he remains in charge.
Speaking at a joint press conference ahead of the National Champions Cup 2026, Shaheen was asked whether he had been assured of retaining the ODI captaincy until the 2027 World Cup. The question came particularly given Pakistan’s frequent leadership changes in recent years.
“For now, I am the captain,” Shaheen said.
The left-arm pacer will lead Pakistan Gold in the tournament. He also stressed the importance of the National Champions Cup in Pakistan’s preparations for the World Cup.
National Champions Cup and World Cup preparations
Shaheen said the competition would help selectors and team management develop a larger pool of players. This could prove useful in case of injuries before or during major tournaments.
“Whenever we go to a World Cup, we face a lot of injuries. In case there are any injuries before the World Cup, we will already have players available. The tournament pool will make it easier for us to find replacements,” he said.
Shaheen Afridi added that the tournament would also allow players to feature in their preferred roles. It would also give the management an opportunity to assess both performance and fitness.
“This tournament will give everyone an opportunity to play according to their respective positions,” he said.
“All the players will try to put in good performances. As I said, our focus is on the World Cup. Besides individual performances, the performances and fitness of other players will also be assessed,” he added.
Pakistan’s upcoming assignments
Shaheen Afridi said the competition would also play an important role in preparing players for Pakistan’s upcoming cricket assignments.
“It will also be very important in terms of the cricket we will play in the coming days,” he concluded.
The National Champions Cup will begin on Tuesday at the Multan Cricket Stadium. It will run from August 11 to 18.
Four teams — Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Whites, Pakistan Blues and Pakistan Gold — will compete in a single round-robin format. Each side will face the other teams once during the league stage.
The top two teams will qualify for the final. The final is scheduled to be played on August 18.
