Pakistan Team will play their last match against Sri Lanka at 6:30 am today (Friday) at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, although neither team can now reach the final. The other finalists India and Bangladesh will clash on Sunday.
Imad Waseem, Wahab Riaz and Muhammad Nawaz are likely to be included in the squad against Sri Lanka.
On Thursday, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Shaharyar Khan said, “Shahid Afridi will retain his position as the national T20 captain until the end of the upcoming World T20 despite a disastrous exit from the Asia Cup.”
Khan said in a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium that he had promised to keep Afridi as captain until the end of T20 World Cup. The PCB chief hinted at the possibility of changes in the national side as well as the team management before the World T20. “I should be held responsible for the team’s poor performance as well,” Khan said, calling for accountability within the PCB.
Read more: Asia Cup disaster: Afridi’s job is safe, PCB chairman declares
However, according to sources, the team management has asked Afridi to take rest. The advice was given in a bid to restore the skipper’s confidence, however, it is up to Afridi either he will play today’s match or not.
“We made too many mistakes. It wasn’t a good total, but the bowlers did superbly,” Afridi said.
Pakistan cricket team’s poor performance was the reason for criticism being lashed out at the captain Shahid Afridi.
Afridi received the criticism positively and said he would utilize it to succeed in World T20. Pakistani High Commissioner in Bangladesh Shuja Pasha arranged a luncheon in honour of national team. The captain said that the team deserved criticism due to their inability to perform well.
Afridi said that he plans to defeat Sri Lanka in the last match of Asia Cup and is excited about the T20 World Cup. On this occasion, fast bowler Muhammad Amir said that batsmen were very talented and hoped that the team will be back on its track.
Last year Afridi announced his intention to retire from international cricket after the World T20, but in a recent interview with a leading cricket website, he said he is facing a “lot of pressure” to change his mind.
Also read: Afridi does not deserve a place in the team: Javed Miandad