KARACHI: Former Test cricketer and chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed Sallu on Tuesday backed senior all-rounder Shahid Afridi as top Pakistan candidate for the ODI and Twenty20 captaincy and asked the selectors to put their faith in the seasoned player who had proven credentials of leading the team to glory in the shorter versions of the game.

In a statement on Tuesday, Sallu said Afridi possessed rare leadership qualities.

“It was only last year when he [Afridi] did wonders in the 2011 World Cup to lead the team to the semi-finals in times when our players were feeling down and out following the spot-fixing controversy in England and had lost their confidence,” Sallu pointed out.

“Afridi managed to successfully gel the team in the mega event because he commands respect of the players, just like Imran Khan and Abdul Hafeez Kardar did during their times.”

Praising Afridi’s fitness and enthusiasm for the game, Sallu said the former skipper was fitter than most of the young players in the side and was capable of winning matches single-handedly even today. “He has not lost any of his vigour or the fighting spirit and is super fit as a cricketer which is so commendable because he has been playing top-level cricket for almost 15 years now,” said the former chief selector.

He lamented that some people were trying to give the impression that Afridi had lost the zest to lead Pakistan in international cricket which was not true at all.

“Afridi is still quite keen about leading Pakistan in ODIs and Twenty20 games, although he won’t say it himself because he is not a greedy person,” said Sallu. “He considers leading the country a big honour and I am sure if he is properly approached for the job, he will take it up and do Pakistan proud yet again.”