Delay in picking team will affect Pak`s T20 WC chances: Afridi

Lahore: Pakistan`s flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi wants the national selectors to announce the squad for the Twenty20 World Cup as soon as possible as he believes any delay will be detrimental to the team`s chances at the mega-event.

Pakistan, which qualified for the final of the inaugural World Cup and won it in 2009, recently named a new captain for the format -- replacing Misbah-ul-Haq with Mohammad Hafeez. Afridi told `Geo News` in Colombo that this was the right time to finalise the World Cup squad. "It will allow the players to mentally prepare themselves for the challenge and plan ahead. I think any more delay will affect our preparations," he added. Afridi also said Hafeez will improve and learn the art of captaincy with time. "Every new captain goes through a learning process. Hafeez also has to go through it and learn. I also was able to give my best as captain after going through a phase. Every captain becomes successful after learning with time," he explained. Afridi also insisted that he had no issues with playing under the either Hafeez or Misbah-ul-Haq as he got along well with them. "They are very supportive. They don`t hesitate to discuss things and I have no issues with them at all," he said. PTI