Shaheen Shah Afridi to captain Lahore Qalandars in PSL

The left-arm seamer, who has taken 50 wickets in the Pakistan Super League, replaces Sohail Akhtar at the helm

Lahore Qalandars have named Shaheen Shah Afridi as their captain for the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League.

The left-arm seamer replaces Sohail Akhtar at the helm. Afridi has only ever represented Lahore in the competition, and his appointment comes with the franchise seeking a change in fortunes.

Qalandars have only once made it out of the group stage, finishing bottom in the tournament's first four seasons before a run to the final in 2020 saw them beaten to a maiden title by Karachi Kings.

Afridi has taken 50 PSL wickets to date. Only Shahnawaz Dahani and Wahab Riaz accounted for more victims last season than the 21-year-old, who was one of the stars of the recent T20 World Cup.

^{Shaheen Shah Afridi was one of the stars of the T20 World Cup (Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images)}

"This is not just a team, it's a family," he said. "I thank [Lahore Qalandars] for placing their trust in me for this role. I will try to ensure that the team shows good performances on the field."

"We are very happy to appoint him as captain of Lahore Qalandars and looking forward to see his wonders both with ball and his leadership skills," added Aqib Javed, the team's director of operations and head coach.

"He has been with us since 2018 and this is the right time to provide him the opportunity to lead the Lahore Qalandars' young outfit."

Afridi will lead a squad including Rashid Khan, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hafeez and Fakhar Zaman in 2022.