Former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi revealed as tournament ambassador for ICC T20 World Cup 2024

DUBAI: Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi has been announced as a tournament ambassador for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 which will be held in the West Indies and the USA, ICC said in a release on Friday.

With this announcement, Afridi joins an illustrious group of ambassadors, featuring India stalwart Yuvraj Singh, 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle and the fastest man on earth Usain Bolt.

Afridi is synonymous with Pakistan's most memorable moments in T20 World Cup history. He played a pivotal role in their journey to the final in the inaugural tournament in 2007 and their triumph in the 2009 edition.

Afridi came in clutch for Pakistan in both those years - he was Player of the Tournament in the 2007 edition where they fell on the final hurdle to arch-rivals India. However, they were quick to put that loss behind them and got their hands on the trophy in the next edition, where Afridi was the Player of the Match in both the semi-final against South Africa and the finale for an all-round performance against Sri Lanka.

The former Pakistan captain cherished his memories of the T20 World Cup and expressed his elation at joining the upcoming edition as a tournament ambassador.

"The ICC Men's T20 World Cup is an event that is very close to my heart. From being Player of the Tournament in the inaugural edition to lifting the trophy in 2009, some of my favourite career highlights have come from competing on this stage," said Afridi as quoted by ICC.

"T20 World Cups have gone from strength to strength in recent years, and I'm thrilled to be part of this edition, where we will see more teams, more matches and even more drama than ever before. I am particularly excited to witness the India v Pakistan fixture on 9 June. It is one of the great rivalries in sport and New York will be a fitting stage for this unmissable encounter between two great teams," the former Pakistan skipper added.

The ICC General Manager also expressed his feelings on the appointment of Afridi. "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," Claire Furlong said.

"He's a fan favourite around the world and alongside Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle and eight-time Olympic gold-medallist Usain Bolt, will be bringing fans closer to the event ahead of what is set to be the biggest T20 World Cup ever," Furlong added.

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup kicks off on 1 June with co-hosts USA taking on Canada at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.