Pakistan’s ODI captain, Shaheen Afridi, has given a message to his team ahead of the three-match series against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan will host its Asian counterparts for the one-day internationals, which begin in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, November 11. Afridi has challenged his team to build on the enthusiasm gained from their recent series victory over South Africa.
Afridi’s first ODI series as Pakistan’s captain came against South Africa, and he had a great start, leading the side to a 2-1 series triumph.
The victory marked Pakistan’s welcome return to form in 50-over cricket after a poor performance at the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year on home turf. Afridi stressed the need of consistency as his team continues to develop as a unit.
“The series win against South Africa in Faisalabad was a great boost for our confidence. It was my first series as ODI captain, and I was really proud of the way the players responded to different situations and played as a unit. The energy, intent and teamwork were outstanding,” said Afridi to ICC.
“Going into the Sri Lanka series, our focus is to carry that winning momentum forward. We want to build consistency in our performances and make sure that we keep improving as a team in every department. Sri Lanka are a disciplined side and always challenge you with their skills. We will need to play smart cricket, stick to our plans and stay positive. The goal is to keep developing as a team and to continue giving our fans performances they can be proud of,” he added.
Afridi stated that it is critical for every member of Pakistan’s squad to accept responsibility for their performances in 50-over cricket, and that leadership should not always rely solely on experienced players.
“All the players should take responsibility. It’s not Shaheen, Fakhar, Babar, or Saim’s job, we all should do our best. We should even back those players who are not performing and always believe that we can perform as a team,” said Afridi.
Pakistan squad:
Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha
India
