Recently reappointed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain, Babar Azam cleared the air about his relationship with Shaheen Shah Afridi following the latter’s removal as the T20I captain. Speaking at a press conference in Rawalpindi before the first T20I against New Zealand, Babar emphasized the longstanding and supportive relationship between the two.
“Our relationship goes beyond cricket; we’ve always supported each other regardless of the circumstances,” Babar stated. “Our focus is elevating Pakistan’s cricket status, not individual accolades. I’m grateful that such values resonate within the team.”
Speculations of discord between Babar and Shaheen surfaced after Babar was reinstated as the captain, a decision that ended Shaheen’s brief tenure as T20I captain after just one bilateral series against New Zealand earlier in January.
The series was challenging for Pakistan as they faced a tough 4-1 defeat against the Blackcaps. Moreover, Shaheen had a disappointing run in the ninth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where his team finished last with only one win out of nine games. Despite these setbacks, Shaheen remains a crucial player in the T20I squad and is expected to partner effectively with Mohammad Amir in the upcoming series.
