Premier pacer Shaheen Afridi has rejected the Pakistan Cricket Board's offer to be the deputy of Babar Azam in the T20I format ahead of the T20 World Cup. Afridi, who was sacked recently as captain, was offered the demoted role but he rejected it. According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, before the T20 WC squad announcement, PCB decided to offer Shaheen the deputy the role on the side. Meanwhile, the PCB announced the squad without appointing the vice-captain as the report further suggested that Shadab Khan and Mohammad Rizwan were also the other names discussed but no one was appointed in the end.

Earlier, Shaheen was named Pakistan's T20I captain after the 2023 ODI World Cup but the change in management at PCB led to his removal as skipper following the T20I series defeat in New Zealand.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi re-appointed Babar as the white-ball captain of the side as he will also lead them in the T20 World Cup.

Several reports suggested that Shaheen was disappointed that he was not kept in the loop before sacking as captain.

Meanwhile, Pakistan announced the squad for the T20 World Cup as tearaway pacer Haris Rauf returned to the squad after recovering from injury. Rauf, who had suffered a shoulder dislocation during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in February, last featured for his country in January this year.

“Haris Rauf is fully fit and bowling well in the nets," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.

"It would have been nice if he had gotten an outing at Headingley.

"But we remain confident that he will continue to maintain an upward trajectory in the upcoming matches, as he will have an important role to play along with other strike bowlers in the T20 World Cup," said the PCB.

Pakistan are placed in Group A with India, Ireland, Canada and co-hosts USA.

They play their first game against USA on June 6 in Dallas.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan.

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