Former cricketer Shahid Afridi has rebuffed lobbying claims in the Pakistan Cricket Board, saying that he never attempted to influence Shaheen Shah Afridi, who is married to the former all-rounder’s daughter, in the team.

“If I had lobbied or done anything then I would have been the PCB chairman,” he said at an event in Karachi. “As a human being, will it suit me to say that Shaheen should be made captain? I don’t even like such a statement to support my man.”

He was speaking in reaction to recent developments in the Pakistan cricket team ahead of the T20 World Cup. In a shocking development, Shaheen was removed from T20 captaincy and his predecessor Babar Azam was reappointed as the skipper in the white ball cricket.

Afridi, the former all-rounder, was surprised at Azam’s return. “I believe that if change was necessary, then (Mohammad) Rizwan was the best choice,” said Afridi on X on Sunday.

“But since the decision has now been made, I offer my full support and best wishes to Team Pakistan and Babar Azam.”

At the event, Afridi said that he has been calling for Mohammad Rizwan’s name as the captain in the white-ball cricket and Azam should continue in the red-ball cricket.

“It is difficult to convince everyone,” he said while reacting to different statements.