Afridi could lose Karachi's captaincy

Karachi: After being sacked as Pakistan skipper, Shahid Afridi could now lose captaincy of his state side Karachi to Mohammad Sami if the PCB refuses to give him the requisite permit to play in the National Twenty20 Championship.

The Karachi City Cricket Association has decided that if the PCB does not allow Afridi to play in the National Twenty20 Championship, discarded Test pacer Sami will replace him as captain of Karachi Dolphins.

The National Twenty20 championship will take place in Faisalabad from June 24.

Mohammad Sami would take over Karachi\'s captaincy if PCB refuses to give Afridi the requisite permit.

The KCCA had announced Afridi as the Dolphins' captain but after he got entangled in a row with the PCB, there has been lingering doubt on whether he would be allowed to take part in the event.

Though the PCB is yet to make an official announcement on Afridi's participation in the event but KCCA President Siraj-ul-Islam Bukhari said Sami would lead the Karachi team in case Afridi fails to get the clearance.

"We have started our nets from today for the team and we can't have a fluid situation where no one knows whether the Board will clear Afridi to play," Bukhari said.

"Sami is an experienced player and will be the best choice if Afridi doesn't get the permission. We are still waiting for PCB's reply but we have to keep our options open," he added.

A well-placed source in the PCB said so far it was decided to allow Afridi to lead the Karachi Dolphins side in the tournament despite the ongoing disciplinary process against him.

"Since it is a domestic tournament and the matter between him and the board is now in court it is felt it is better he is allowed to captain the Karachi side in the event," a source said.

Afridi went to the High Court and got a stay order against the board's disciplinary process against him that included suspension of his central contract and revoking his NOCs to play in foreign leagues.

The row between the board and Afridi started when the PCB removed him as captain of the one-day team. Afridi announced his retirement after that and blasted the PCB for mistreating him and not showing respect to the players.

This resulted in a disciplinary process against him including revoking of the NOC to play for English county Hampshire.

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