Pakistan suffered a severe setback when they were eliminated from the Asia Cup 2023 after losing to Sri Lanka by two wickets in the Super Four stage of the tournament. Following the team’s underwhelming performance in the continental tournament, a number of stories reported that captain Babar Azam had scolded his teammates severely and urged them to accept responsibility for their errors.
He reportedly faced resistance from Shaheen Afridi, who urged him to acknowledge the contributions of the players who gave excellent performances. After being interrupted, the Pakistani captain became even more irritated and attacked Afridi. Mohammad Rizwan had to step in and mediate between the two after observing the scene spiraling out of control. Reports of the purported argument in the Pakistani team locker room quickly went viral and even attracted criticism from their supporters.
However, in a significant development, a senior squad member has publicly denied any altercation between the players in the locker room. The player claimed that during the discussion, the team members just voiced their opinions and dismissed the claims as “negative speculations.”
“Cricket is the team’s only priority; we are not concerned about the criticism. When we lose a game, our detractors get a chance to speak their minds, but these are just unfounded accusations,” the player was cited as saying by Cricket Pakistan.
“Everyone spoke their opinions during the team meeting, but the stories of a verbal altercation or the necessity for the coaching staff to step in are untrue. Everyone left the meeting together, and some teammates took the same flight home to Pakistan, the speaker said.
Injury-plagued Pakistan before of the 2023 World Cup
Ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023, injuries to two of Pakistan’s top fast bowlers, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, have made matters worse for Pakistan. Notably, Naseem was forced to withdraw from the Asia Cup 2023 due to a shoulder injury sustained during the Super Four match against India.
The 20-year-old is expected to miss the entire World Cup, according to sources. Haris Rauf, on the other hand, is most likely to make a full recovery from his side strain.
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