Pakistan captaincy not an easy job: Afridi

E-Paper | March 18, 2026

ABU DHABI: Stand-in captain Shahid Afridi believes Pakistan's abysmal performance in their 3-0 rout by Australia will hurt the team's chances at next year's World Cup.

Pakistan spurned a good chance of salvaging some pride in the third and final one-dayer on Sunday, losing by one run in the final over in Abu Dhabi.

Needing just two to win in the 50th and final over, Pakistan lost Sohail Tanvir (ten) off spinner Glenn Maxwell's second ball and then Mohammad Irfan (nought) off the last.

Afridi said Pakistan cannot go into the World Cup in February and March in Australia and New Zealand with such performances.

“If we are not able to win on these pitches then we have to think we can't go into the World Cup with these performances,” said Afridi.

Pakistan have now lost five straight one-dayers after losing the last two in a 2-1 defeat in Sri Lanka in August. Afridi said the batsmen once again spoilt the good work of the bowlers who kept Australia down to 231-9 in 50 overs on Sunday.

“If you look overall we have spoiled the good work of the bowlers,” said Afridi of the attack which saw paceman Sohail Tanvir taking 3-40 and himself finishing with 2-44.

“On this pitch it looked as if they will get 280-plus. We managed to keep them down to 231 but from the Twenty20 game to the third one-dayer our problem has been a lack of partnerships. When we build a partnership our wickets start to fall,” said Afridi, who is Pakistan's Twenty20 captain.

Pakistan lost the only Twenty20 which preceded the one-day series by five wickets in Dubai. On Sunday, Pakistan were without regular one-day captain Misbah-ul-Haq who opted to rest because of a poor run of scores.

“The Pakistan captaincy is not an easy job,” said Afridi when asked why Misbah stepped aside.

“It was Misbah's own decision to rest.“

When asked would he like to continue the one-day captaincy until the World Cup, Afridi said: “I think whoever is captain -- Misbah or me -- we should know about it. If I am to captain in the World Cup then I should know about it.“

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan said it will be up to Misbah to decide whether or not he wants to lead Pakistan in the World Cup, but that the board has already started considering other options.

The PCB earlier this year appointed Misbah one-day captain until 2015 World Cup.

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anshul

Oct 13, 2014 01:59pm

when you entered in world cricket with fastest ton every one thought one more legend in making but seems Afridi's teen age still not over no maturity at all

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Javed Arshad

Oct 13, 2014 02:00pm

Toothless PCB. They appoint a captain, then he finds himself resting (voluntarily or involuntarily who knows), then the PCB gives him the option to be or not to be and simultaneously looks for other options. Which board gives an choice to a player to decide if he wants to be captain or not. What a circus.

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Burki

Oct 13, 2014 02:20pm

isn't this amazing ... the self-righteous preachers in our team who would point out the weaknesses in the team from a 3rd person's perspective as if their own consistently pathetic lousy performance has not contributed to the dowward spiral of team's performance. How many times this loud mouth idiot goes out to the ground, swing his bat wildly and then walks back in to the pavilion in less than 10 minutes. Does he have no shame? Does he ever take time to reflect on his rash, irresponsible batting? Obviously not. Yet he has no qualms taking the moral high grounds pointing out the team's failures.

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Azmeen

Oct 13, 2014 02:20pm

PCB has proven its incompetency and insensitivity over the past two decades but who cares? If President/Prime Minister cannot set straight PCB, how they can run the huge country.

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WeCare

Oct 13, 2014 02:22pm

You're absolutely right - "We cannot go to world cup" if players like you continue to entertain only themselves with reckless shots. You get one or two sixes and we immediately after that we know you'll be gone to pavilion. Look at your own performances in the last 10 games you played. To you - Your continuous failed attempts to hit sixes are more important then carrying the team to victory. And, yet you talk about performance.

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Fowzul Aleem Farook

Oct 13, 2014 03:08pm

I fully agree with Afridi bowlers contributed but it is the batsman who let down the match.In some of the matches batsman's careless stroke brought the down fall of the team.This is not the first time, this happens very often. We have to learn a lesson from Australian team either one of them perform well if one of their top order fails.

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Shoaib Zafar Kasuri

Oct 13, 2014 03:22pm

U even don't deserve to be in Team & I am still firm on my point of view as I was 10 Years ago!

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ALY

Oct 13, 2014 03:27pm

Dear afridi you have played 380 ish odis but shot you played yesterday as a skipper was something even most debutants wont play in context of the game. Im sorry but if u were playing for australia you would have been sacked longtime ago. We as fans are tired of this nonsense cricket of yours!

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Saiyed zaidi

Oct 13, 2014 03:42pm

Afridi is like a child who keeps on repeating fifth class in school sixth will never come lessons never learned..

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Prince Oberyn

Oct 13, 2014 04:00pm

Afridi should have stayed at the crease to see the win through. However, expecting Afridi to act like a mature cricketer and stay at the crease for more than 10 minutes is like asking a drug addict to stay awake from needles. He will always be remembered as the person who played cricket like baseball and never took playing for Pakistan seriously. How he plays the `I'm not an all-rounder, I'm a bowler` card for times when his batting is collapsing, just to secure his place in the team is not only disgusting, it's shameful. I guess people will do anything to make the most money for the lease amount of work. Pakistan cricket will improve the day he retires.

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Iqbal Bhai

Oct 13, 2014 04:03pm

Afridi is part of the problem - not part of the solution.

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Lyra

Oct 13, 2014 04:30pm

"Stand-in captain Shahid Afridi believes ........ will hurt the team's chances at next year's World Cup." I don't understand... are these kind of statements a mandatory formality? Being realistic, how many of you really believe that Pakistan team does have a "chance" at next year's World Cup? Rather how many are even willing to put their real money on Pakistan making it to the Semi Finals at least? Let me know!

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Javeed

Oct 13, 2014 04:30pm

Pakistan cricket team needs a psychologist cum motivator in the team. I've always felt the need of such a person in the team. From the very single bowl they played in the 3rd ODI, it seemed they were playing to loose. I told my friends overs before that Pak is going to loose. When you have a negative mindset, you can't achieve something positive. PCB please hire someone who can make the boys enjoy their game and make them play their heart out. As Imran khan says don't fear to loose, the day this clicks in their minds the same team will do wonders.

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Salma

Oct 13, 2014 05:17pm

Leave the rest alone Mr. AFRIDI, you yourself should care about your own performance. The team can't take you along only as a bowler. Get an injection in your brain and learn to leave the rising ball and learn to play along the ground when situation requires that. Aren't you concerned that you are at par with Mohammad Irfan in batting today. Had you performed a bit, we could have won this series. Start playing for Pakistan and not for the gallery. Pathetic really!

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Shahid

Oct 13, 2014 05:25pm

Get rid of two persons, Afridi and Moin Khan and we will be a candidate for a semifinal spot in the worldcup, else go home and play Afghanistan and UAE. How in the world could Moin select Umar Amin with an average of 16 in all forms of international cricket even after playing 30 matches. On what grounds did you prefer him over Umar Akmal who has the best batting average against Australia. In the world cup, play Saad Nasim instead of Afridi and Younis should replace Misbah, also as captain. Chain in the top order for not to get rash after scoring 30 runs. Specially Shehzad, starts hitting everything in the air once he crosses 25.

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BOOM BOOM

Oct 13, 2014 05:50pm

World cup abhi suru nahin hua he or world cup khatam hone k baad ka comments pratice kar rahe hain Mr. Afridi

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 13, 2014 06:37pm

Everybody says that after becoming green-shirts skipper.

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dawn

Oct 13, 2014 06:58pm

No it is not easy - especially for someone not mature enough.

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daada

Oct 13, 2014 07:19pm

So what if Misbah isn't permorning at the moment!? Every player goes through a rough patch, doesn't mean he has to sit out and deal with immense amount of negativity from his organization. Switching out skippers leading up to the big cup is never a good idea. Afridi on the other hand has not performed with his bat in a few years. He himself admits that he thinks of himself as a bowler first. Afridi does have better body language on the field than Misbah, much more aggressive. Misba leads by example, Afridi doesn't, it's as simple as that.

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shafiq

Oct 13, 2014 07:32pm

In previous world cup, it was shahid Afridi who brought enthusiastic to the world cup crowd & reached to Semi-final. He would have won the World Cup if both Misbah & Younis khan would play aggressively. We all know who were really behind that lost. Now, coming to 3rd odi vs Australia, shahid should have shown maturity. Sorry to say but Misbah is a weak captain, he should focus more on his batting performance and resign from captaincy now.

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shabut

Oct 13, 2014 07:49pm

Afridi is in a hurry to know who will be the captain.

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Kissa Chahar Darwaish

Oct 13, 2014 09:19pm

Pakistan has never been an easy country to lead, be it in sports or politics. I think it's the nature of the general public, they are too demanding, unco-operative and grumpy.

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Capt C M Khan

Oct 13, 2014 09:21pm

Afridi is the IK of Cricket, wants to be Captain without proving his credentials. What a Joke. I have started Pakistani street child football now.

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Khalid

Oct 13, 2014 09:50pm

Does Afridi counts himself as responsible for batting collapse, every team in world knows now that if you bounce him he will hit the ball in the year without thinking and is a walking wicket. He has probably played more one days than whole Australian team, but he never learns.

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Ahmer

Oct 13, 2014 10:13pm

Afridi has already started finding excuses for the poor performance of the team that he obviously expect in 2015 world cup. We need a captain with faith even if he is a non playing captain.

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Aysha

Oct 13, 2014 10:19pm

@WeCare , you summed it up. For Afridi, his continuous failed attempts to hit sixes are more important then carrying the team to victory.

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Dr. Sehar Khan

Oct 13, 2014 10:28pm

Mr. Afridi... "Aaiay Bhi Wo Gai Bhi Wo"

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Dr. Sehar Khan

Oct 13, 2014 10:30pm

If you are a honest Momin (which you are not) stay away from the game... You Are Done!!! But you will never leave.

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Dr. Sehar Khan

Oct 13, 2014 10:33pm

Afridi ka dimagh Pakistan ke logon ne kharab kar dia hai, Folk Hero, what a joke!!! Kick him out

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Azhar

Oct 13, 2014 10:40pm

You can not expect better results from this Pakistani team then this, the cercumstanses in which pakistani team is playing their cricket compair to other countrys are far worse, stll I find our team plays better cricket then the teams who plays much more cricket and have more freedom and feclities, I am sure these corner Tigers will do miracles in world cup and win world cup they capable.be positieve.

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Canada

Oct 13, 2014 10:57pm

Afridi's best decision as a Captain should be.....................to retire. At least Misbah had the gaul to exit the team when his play was lacklustre. I think he is too old to make a comeback and Pak has to give younger players the chance. Younis Afridi Misbah OUT Sarfraz Maqsood IN Last game against Aussies was pretty tight. Notice no oldies aside from Afridi was there, now just need to get rid of him and the rejuvenation process will be complete.

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S.Agha

Oct 14, 2014 01:13am

The captaincy would be an easier job if you ever stuck around for 10 overs. Afridi's batting position (6-7) is crucial in today's cricket. This slots belong to players who can absorb the pressure and finish the game. This guy is just the opposite.

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zaffar

Oct 14, 2014 01:39am

Afridi is what we call dho naafalo ke maar. He should retire from cricket.

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m.a

Oct 14, 2014 02:42am

Sir, Afridi is a useless player. He has done nothing after his 6 times of sixers against. playing with Siri Lancka. he made not more than 2 runs in the last 4 matches against Austarlia. It does not make sense for him to keep on playing. The time for him to be captain is gone now. Misbah has been a great batsman and a captain.

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Nasr

Oct 14, 2014 04:33am

Only thing easy is to keep yourself in the team

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Nasr

Oct 14, 2014 04:37am

I would like Afridi to keep his mouth shut before pointing the weakness in the team and retire and continue selling the Shalwar Qameez. he has branded

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Nasr

Oct 14, 2014 04:38am

I wish PCB may read these comments about Afridi

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TheChamp

Oct 14, 2014 05:07am

Lol all these afridi bashers should understand that he is nowadays a bowler first and then a batsman. Instead of bashing him you should bash sohail tanvir. Afridi took a couple of great wickets. But what did other batters do.

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kashif

Oct 14, 2014 09:23am

Talking, Talking & Talking and zero baata zero performance. No matter whomever is the captain or the other team heroes. Shahid is no different. Pakistani Crickets have no mental strength they cannot perform. The entire structure and players needs to be scrapped and lets make a serious long terms plan for PC with a vision.

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