Shahid Afridi banking on senior players to defend T20 title in West Indies

Pakistan T20 captain Shahid Afridi is relying heavily on senior players of the team, and has said that the country’s hopes of retaining the World T20 title rest on their shoulders.

Afridi pointed out that senior members of the squad such as all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, middle-order batsman Misbah-ul-Haq and wicket keeper Kamran Akmal will have to fire if Pakistan has to defend its crown.

He said the senior players should lead by example and inspire the younger members of the team during the upcoming ICC World T20 Championship in West Indies, which would be played from April 30 to May 16.

“Personally, I believe that the main responsibility will be on the senior players. They are ones who have enough experience of playing in top-level events like the World Cup.I must say that our senior players like Razzaq, Misbah, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Kamran Akmal will have to come out with their best in the West Indies. They are the ones who can inspire the young boys in our team to shine in the tournament,” The News quoted Afridi, as saying.

Afridi, 30, said that he and his players are well aware of the fact that Pakistan needs to produce good results in the upcoming T20 Championship to give the countrymen a reason to smile.

“We all know that Pakistan need good news on the cricket field. If we win the World Cup again we will be able to make millions of our countrymen happy. That is why I’m urging my teammates to give their 100 percent effort in the training camp and later in the World Cup. I need them to fight like a unit,” he said.