The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States will feature Shahid Afridi, the legendary player from Pakistan, as its newest event ambassador.
He becomes a member of an esteemed group of ambassadors that includes the fastest person on Earth, Usain Bolt, “Universe Boss” Chris Gayle, and India’s legendary Yuvraj Singh.
The most unforgettable moments in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup history are inextricably linked to Afridi. He was crucial to both their run to the championship game in the first tournament in 2007 and their victory in the 2009 iteration.
In both of those years, Afridi proved to be crucial for Pakistan; in the 2007 edition, when they lost to India in the championship game, he was named Player of the Tournament. They quickly moved over that setback, though, and won the championship in the subsequent tournament. Afridi was named Player of the Match in both the final against Sri Lanka and the semifinal against South Africa for his all-around performance.
The former captain of Pakistan talked about how much he loved his experiences in the T20 World Cup and how happy he was to be returning as an ambassador.
“The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup holds great significance for me,” Afridi remarked. Some of my fondest career milestones have come from participating on this stage, from winning the trophy in 2009 to being named Player of the Tournament in the first edition.
“The T20 World Cup has been growing stronger in the past few years, and I’m excited to be a part of this edition, which promises more teams, matches, and drama than ever before.”
“I am especially looking forward to the June 9 India vs. Pakistan match.” One of the greatest rivalries in sports will take place, and New York will be a suitable venue for this must-see matchup between two elite teams.
“Shahid competed in six ICC Men’s T20 World Cups, two of which as captain and delivering a Player of the Match performance when winning the trophy in 2009, so who better to join our all-star Ambassador team?” said Claire Furlong, ICC General Manager, Marketing and Communications.
In addition to Yuvraj Singh, eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt, and other well-known fans worldwide, he will be bringing the event closer to the public ahead of what is expected to be the largest T20 World Cup ever.
The co-hosts, USA and Canada, will play in the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on June 1 at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
