Shakib’s Early Strike Ignored: Shaheen Afridi Faces Criticism for Questionable Captaincy

In a high-stakes Eliminator clash of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Shakib Al Hasan struck gold in his very first over, dismissing the dangerous James Vince while conceding just 4 runs. However, surprisingly, Shakib wasn’t brought back into the attack for the rest of the innings—raising serious questions about Shaheen Shah Afridi’s captaincy.

Despite Shakib’s immediate impact, Lahore Qalandars opted not to use him again, sticking to a set plan that saw part-time spinner Mohammad Naim bowl three overs instead. Naim impressed on debut with figures of 3-0-15-1, but the decision to sideline Shakib from the middle overs—where he typically thrives—has sparked backlash online.

Social media criticism poured in, with fans questioning Afridi’s tactics:

“Shaheen Afridi's captaincy is very poor. Shakib took a wicket for just 4 runs in his first over, yet wasn’t used again. A strong team under a weak captain,” wrote one fan on X (formerly Twitter).

The game was critical—Lahore had to win to stay alive in the race to the PSL final. Karachi Kings posted 190/8, thanks largely to a quick-fire 75 from David Warner and Khushdil Shah’s late cameo. Lahore now needs to chase down the target to move on to Qualifier 2 tomorrow.

Match Highlights:

• Shakib Al Hasan: 1-0-4-1 (dismissed James Vince)

• Mohammad Naim: 3-0-15-1 (first PSL bowling appearance)

• Shaheen Shah Afridi: under fire for not using Shakib further

• Karachi Kings: 190/8 in 20 overs

Lahore Qalandars’ chase will now determine whether Shaheen’s decisions prove costly—or whether his side can still redeem his choices with a win.