Afridi joins Yuvraj, Gayle as ambassador for ICC T20 World Cup

NEW DELHI: Pakistan cricket 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.
Afridi, a former T20 World Cup winner and Player of the Tournament, joins a distinguished group of ambassadors that includes India’s

Yuvraj Singh

, West Indies’

Chris Gayle

, and the fastest man on Earth,

Usain Bolt

.
Afridi is a significant figure in T20 World Cup history, having played a pivotal role in Pakistan's journey to the final of the inaugural tournament in 2007 and their victory in the 2009 edition. He was named Player of the Tournament in 2007 despite Pakistan's loss to India in the final and was instrumental in Pakistan’s triumph in 2009, earning Player of the Match honors in both the semi-final against South Africa and the final against Sri Lanka.

Reflecting on his appointment, Afridi expressed his excitement about being part of the upcoming edition.
"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 favorite career highlights have come from competing on this stage," said Afridi. "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."

Afridi also highlighted the much-anticipated

India vs Pakistan

fixture on June 9, calling it "one of the great rivalries in sport" and expressing his excitement for the match taking place in New York.
Claire Furlong, ICC General Manager of Marketing and Communications, welcomed Afridi to the ambassador team.
"Shahid competed in six ICC Men’s T20 World Cups, two of which as captain, and delivered a Player of the Match performance when winning the trophy in 2009. So, who better to join our all-star Ambassador team?" said Furlong. "He’s a fan favorite around the world and, alongside Yuvraj Singh, Chris Gayle, and eight-time Olympic gold-medallist Usain Bolt, will bring fans closer to the event ahead of what is set to be the biggest T20 World Cup ever."
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is set to begin on June 1, with co-hosts USA taking on Canada at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.