Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has refuted the rumours of a rift between white-ball captain Babar Azam and left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi.
The rumours of tension between the star players have been circulating in the media since Shaheen replaced Babar as the captain of the T20I team in the aftermath of a disastrous ICC ODI World Cup 2023 campaign.
However, Zaka Ashraf, who was serving as the chairman of the PCB Management Committee, at that time dispelled the rumours of rift and claimed that the team unity actually improved after Shaheen’s appointment.
“No, the unity didn’t end [after removing Babar Azam as captain]. In fact, the unity improved. When we told him to play as a player, which is his talent, but as a captain, his performance is not good, he agreed,” he stated during an interview at a local news channel.
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Zaka Ashraf also defended his decision to appoint Shan Masood as the captain of the Test team and Mohammad Hafeez as the team director, while denying rumours of grouping in the team.
“No, there was no grouping. The team was good. And we brought Shan Masood as the captain. He was a very good captain. He is still a very good player,” he added
“And our management, along with the team, Mohammad Hafeez, an excellent cricketer, a very honest person, we brought him along. Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, and these players, we brought them along so that the coaching staff is with the team.”
For the unversed, Shaheen Afridi was removed as captain after one series and Babar Azam was reinstated as the white-ball captain ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2023, where Pakistan crashed out in the first round.
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