In the recent Asia Cup tournament, the Pakistan cricket team showed promise initially but couldn’t maintain their form, exiting the competition during the Super 4 stage due to a disappointing loss to Sri Lanka. Following their surprising elimination, there were rumors circulating about a potential conflict between Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, and their star fast bowler, Shaheen Afridi.
According to a Bol News report, Babar Azam expressed concerns about the contributions of senior players after the loss to Sri Lanka. In response, Shaheen Afridi interjected, advising against generalizing criticism and urged Babar not to condemn those who had performed well, as per the same report.
Furthermore, the report mentioned that Babar Azam chose not to engage with anyone during his journey from the press conference after the Asia Cup loss to the hotel.
Shaheen promptly put an end to the rumors by sharing a photo on social media alongside Babar Azam, accompanied by the caption: “Family.” In addition, Babar Azam confirmed on Tuesday that there are no conflicts within the dressing room despite the disappointment of their Asia Cup performance.
In a pre-departure media conference, Babar said: “There is no ill will in the dressing room. There are discussions after every loss but they get twisted into something else entirely. The entire team is like a family and there is love and respect there.”
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Although most of the Pakistan squad members lack previous experience playing in India, team captain Babar Azam expressed confidence on Tuesday, stating that the team has diligently prepared for the upcoming ODI World Cup, commencing on October 5th.
It’s noteworthy that the visas for the Pakistan team were cleared on Monday night, and the team is scheduled to arrive in Hyderabad via Dubai on Wednesday. Among the squad, only Mohammad Nawaz and Agha Salman have prior experience playing in India. Additionally, Babar Azam missed the opportunity to travel to India for the T20 World Cup in 2016 due to an injury.