'Communication Was Broken..,' Shahid Afridi After Babar & Shaheen Afridi Fight
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has made a major statement in response to allegations of an apparent conflict between Shaheen Shah Afridi and Babar Azam.
Pakistan were eliminated from the Asia Cup 2023 after losing the final Super 4 match to Sri Lanka in a last-ball thriller. According to allegations in Pakistani media, Babar and Shaheen argued in the locker room.
It all began when Babar asked gamers to play responsibly. This statement allegedly did not sit well with Shaheen, who begged his captain to recognise those who are succeeding. In response, Babar allegedly stated that he knows who is doing well and who is not. Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper and batter, stepped in to calm things down.
Shaheen's father-in-law, Shahid Afridi, has recommended Babar to seek the advice of the team director and coach in order to enhance his captaincy. "We're going to the World Cup." All seniors, including head coach Mickey, must speak with him [Babar Azam].
Make him tough. Don't be afraid to make difficult choices. Don't be concerned about losses. "You either win or learn," Shahid told Samaa TV.
Shahid went on to say that Babar has been in charge for the past three years and that any issues should be resolved by reaching out to seniors in the locker room. "My problem is that you've been leading the side for three years.
Come on, people. There are experts all around you. Communicate with them to strengthen your captaincy. You're a huge player, but you'd like people to remember you as captain as well."
Shahid also made a statement that surprised Pakistan followers. According to him, communication between the head coach and skipper was broken during his brief tenure as top selector at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
"I came in as chief selector for a month," Shahid Afridi explained. There were numerous issues. The captain had one option, whereas the coach had several. Both were giving me various reports, and the players were all giving me different reports. The communication was completely broken."
After the Asia Cup, Pakistan has no further commitments. They are expected to be in India around September 25 to play warm-up matches before the start of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Pakistan has suffered another setback, as Naseem Shah, who injured his bowling shoulder during the Asia Cup 2023, would most likely miss the World Cup.