The Pakistan Skipper Babar Azam opened up on the issue addressed by the fast bowler before the team’s departure for the World Cup 2023.
Babar Azam Opens on dressing room debate with Afridi
The team will always discuss major flaws that the team could work on to amend before the event like World Cup 2023. But those talks take a backseat when rumors of a rift between two top players in a side go viral. Pakistan had recently completed its Asia Cup campaign with a defeat against Sri Lanka in Super Fours.
The discussion came up after the heartbreaking defeat against Sri Lanka in the Super Fours of the Asia Cup.
Winning the toss, Pakistan chose to bat where Shafique and Fakhar Zaman opened for Pakistan while Pramod Madushan opened a bowling attack. Shafique had a good start scoring 52 runs and Fakhar Zaman was sent out with four runs by Pramod Madushan. After Babar Azam’s dismissal with 29 runs on 35 deliveries by Dunith Wellalage, Shafique was sent out by Pathirana. With his dismissal, Pakistan was down to three wickets for 100 runs.
Rizwan backed Pakistan by scoring an unbeaten 86 runs on 73 deliveries which includes six boundaries and 2 sixes. Mohammad Haris and Mohammad Nawaz was sent out with 3 and 12 runs respectively. With Iftikhar Ahmed’s 47 runs, Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi scored 3 and 1 runs by the end of 42nd over.
Matheesha Pathirana scalped three wickets, while Pramod Madushan took two wickets. Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage dismissed one wicket each. By the end Pakistan had scored 252 runs on losing seven wickets.
Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera opened for Sri Lanka while Shaheen Afridi opened bowling attack. Kusal Perera scored 17 runs and was dismissed on run out. Pathum Nissanka scored 29 runs and was sent out with 29 runs by Shadab Khan.
Kusal Mendia had scored 91 runs on 87 deliveries and Sadeera Samarawickrama scored 48 runs and was sent out by Iftikhar Ahmed. With Charith Asalanka’s 49 runs, other batters were sent out with low figures. Iftikhar Ahmed dismissed three wickets while Shaheen Afridi took 2 wickets and Shadab Khan dismissed one wicket. By the end, Sri Lanka scored 252 runs on 42 overs losing 8 wickets.
On this occasion, a meeting was held on Thursday regarding the team’s underperformance in the Asia Cup with the likes of PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf, Captain Babar Azam, head coach Grant Bradburn, Salman Nasser, Usman Wahla, and former skipper Misbah ul Haq.
“Respect is given to everyone. You see, whenever the match is close and we lose, it’s just a regular meeting, but sometimes it’s portrayed as if we had a fight. It shouldn’t be like that. Respect should remain constant for everyone. We love each other as much as we do our family,” he said.
Pakistan will be playing its first match against the Netherlands in the World Cup 2023 on October 6 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
