During the Asia Cup 2023, reports surfaced regarding a heated exchange between former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi. Following Pakistan’s narrow defeat to Sri Lanka, tensions escalated during a post-match team meeting. Allegedly, Babar expressed discontent with senior players’ performances, while Shaheen advocated for acknowledging the efforts of those who performed well.
Mohammad Rizwan mediated the reported altercation between Babar and Afridi during the Asia Cup 2023. Ahead of the PSL 9 match, Shaheen shed light on the issue, discussing team dynamics and emphasizing commitment to Pakistan. Babar, when approached earlier, stressed respect within the team despite match outcomes.
“We don’t need to justify ourselves to anyone else. We know that when we are in a meeting, we speak for the team. Pakistan is in front of us. We both know we have to perform and raise Pakistan’s name. So, what we have to give for our country, we will give it ourselves, we won’t let anyone else come in for that. Why do we play cricket? We play for Pakistan. So, just like things come into consideration within the family, the Pakistan team is also our family. We are the ones who have to set things right for it,” Shaheen said as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
“Respect is given to everyone. You see, whenever the match is close and we lose, it’s just a regular meeting, but sometimes it’s portrayed as if we had a fight. It shouldn’t be like that. Respect should remain constant for everyone. We love each other as much as we do our family,” Babar had said.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly expressed discontent over Babar’s and Shaheen’s off-field fan interaction on social media platform ‘X’. Babar’s Q&A sessions amassed over 20,000 fans, while Shaheen’s attracted approximately 4000. The PCB viewed these engagements with concern, highlighting their cautious approach towards players’ social media interactions amidst their professional commitments and responsibilities.
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