Asia Cup exit has not gone down well with captain Babar Azam. While the Pakistan Cricket team did struggle with injuries and lost their two main bowlers, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, their exit after a loss to Sri Lanka in a must-win clash led to a dressing room rift. Two superstars Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi clashed in a heated dressing room exchange after PAK vs SL match.
Pakistan cricket team came to the tournament as the favourites. But they suffered a humiliating loss to India and lost to Sri Lanka in the last over. Senior players like Shadab Khan and Fakhar Zaman had a poor outing.
Pakistan Cricket rift: Heart of the matter
As per Bol News, Pakistan, captain Babar Azam minced no words. He pulled up non-performers and told them they became too big a star and that performance did not matter.
“If you continue this way, you will be forgotten soon. World Cup is your last chance,” Babar Azam allegedly told the players.
But Babar’s dressing room rundown did not go down well with Shaheen Afridi. He told the captain, “At least appreciate those who bowled and batted well.”
However, Babar did not like the interruption. He told Shaheen Afridi, “I know who is performing well and who is not.”
As the situation escalated, Pakistan cricket team’s support staff and Mohammad Rizwan had to come in and stop the argument.
As the Pakistan Cricket Team returned to team hotel, Babar Azam looked distraught.
Babar Azam under pressure
Pakistan’s captain is under pressure after a series of poor shows. While Pakistan reached T20 World Cup semifinal and final in the last two editions, they had to suffer defeats. Pakistan failed to win Test series at home against Australia and England. Thus, they failed to reach the WTC Final. In the last Asia Cup (T20), Pakistan lost to Sri Lanka in the final.
Even though Babar Azam has established himself as the World No 1 batter, his captaincy has often been criticised. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has also been hard on him while Gautam Gambhir called his captaincy ordinary.
As they visit India for World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket team will be under immense pressure to perform. World Cup will also be his last chance. And any slip-ups could cost him the captaincy with Shaheen Afridi emerging as the bigger star at the moment.
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