In a surprising turn of events, Pakistan’s left-arm pacer, Shaheen Afridi, found himself in the eye of a storm. The cricketing world taken aback when Afridi, the erstwhile T20I captain of the Pakistan cricket team, shared a cryptic message on his official Instagram account.
Afridi’s journey as the T20I captain began in the aftermath of Pakistan’s early exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup. Babar Azam, the former captain across all formats, decided to step down, paving the way for Afridi’s leadership. However, the start of his tenure marred by a 4-1 series loss to New Zealand on their home turf.
Just as the cricket fraternity getting accustomed to Afridi’s leadership, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reinstated Babar Azam as the white-ball captain on March 31, abruptly ending Afridi’s stint after a single series.
Sources suggest that Afridi discontented with the PCB’s communication, or lack thereof, about his removal from the captaincy. The 23-year-old pacer further irked by an unauthorized statement issued in his name post his removal. The PCB admitted to this error, attributing it to an internal mistake.
In response, Afridi took to Instagram, sharing a cryptic story that hinted at his readiness to reveal an unexpected side of himself if pushed beyond his limits. His post read, “Never ever ever put me in a position where I have to show you how cruel and ruthless I can be. Don’t test my patience. Because I might be the kindest and sweetest person you’ve ever met, but once I reach my limit, you’ll see me do the things that no one thought I was capable of doing.”
Despite the controversy surrounding his removal from the captaincy, Afridi has shown a willingness to move past the incident, demonstrating the resilience that is characteristic of great sportsmen.
