Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan boldly predicted that Pakistan could emerge as the champions in the upcoming 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA.
While acknowledging the existing challenges and turmoil in Pakistani cricket, Vaughan displayed steadfast confidence in the team's abilities.
On the podcast 'Club Prairie Fire', Vaughan pointed out significant changes in the Pakistani cricket structure, particularly praising the appointment of Mohammad Hafeez as the director and head coach.
Vaughan praised Hafeez for taking on the dual role and expressed hope regarding the positive influence it might have on the team.
"They have assembled a new team. My friend Mohammad Hafeez has taken on the roles of director and head coach, so he will be overseeing things, which is fantastic," Vaughan remarked, shedding light on the leadership dynamics within the team.
It must be noted that Pakistan has a new T20I captain after Babar Azam resigned from all formats of the game as skipper.
The 23-year-old Shaheen Afridi will lead the side in the away series of New Zealand, scheduled in January 2024.
Currently, Pakistan is preparing for the Test series in Australia.
Remember, Shan Masood will lead the Pakistan team during the series, which will begin with the first Test in Perth from December 14.
The squad assembled in Rawalpindi on November 22 and had their first training session today. The camp will run till November 28. The team will fly out on November 30 from Lahore.
Pakistan squad
Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafiq, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Nauman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Schedule of Pakistan’s Test tour of Australia
First Test: December 14-18, Perth Stadium
Second Test: December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground
Third Test: January 3-7, Sydney Cricket Ground