Ever since Shaheen Shah Afridi took over as captain of Lahore Qalandars back in 2021, fans have speculated: Was this move influenced by Imran Khan?
Well, Atif Rana, the Qalandars CEO, has finally broken the silence. And guess what? The answer is a clear no.
“Shaheen Afridi Was Our Call” – Atif Rana Clears the Air
In a candid interview with a local sports outlet, Atif addressed the long-running rumour head-on.
“Shaheen was made captain by Sameen [Rana],” he said. “Our team’s think tank made that decision together, and Sameen played a key role.”
So, there it is. No outside influence, no political pressure, and definitely no Imran Khan intervention.
Atif added that although they did meet Imran Khan – who was the Prime Minister at the time – it happened after they had already announced Shaheen as captain.
Imran’s Words Meant a Lot
Even though Imran didn’t pick Shaheen Afridi, he definitely backed the decision.
“At that time, Imran Khan praised our move,” Atif recalled. “He told Shaheen, ‘If you keep playing like this, you will rule world cricket for the next 8 to 10 years.’”
Now that’s quite a compliment coming from a 1992 World Cup-winning skipper.
Atif shared another interesting nugget: Imran said he doesn’t believe batsmen make good captains. “He believes a true captain is a bowler,” said Atif.
That comment — coming from someone who led Pakistan to its greatest cricketing triumph — hit home for Shaheen and the Qalandars camp. It was validation they didn’t ask for, but one they were happy to receive.
Read More: Mohammad Hafeez Drops Honest Advice for Usman Khan, Sahibzada Farhan
From Wooden Spoons to Silverware
Before Shaheen Afridi stepped into the leadership role, Lahore Qalandars were… well, not doing great.
From 2016 to 2021, they finished last in five of the six seasons. It was frustrating for fans and painful for the franchise.
But everything changed when the then-21-year-old fast bowler took charge.
In 2022, he led Lahore to their first-ever PSL title. Then, just to prove it wasn’t a fluke, they did it again in 2023 — becoming the first team in PSL history to defend the title.
It wasn’t just a leadership gamble. It was a franchise-defining masterstroke.
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