As the Pakistan cricket team struggles on the pitch, a lot seems to be going wrong behind the scenes. Consecutive Test defeats have put skipper Babar Azam under mounting pressure, with both his tactical decision-making and his batting form coming under scrutiny. Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali claimed that all is not well between Babar and premier fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, blaming the tension between the two senior figures as a central factor behind the national side’s prolonged slump over the last few years.
Pakistan cricket remains in unending turmoil as captain Babar Azam and bowler Shaheen Afridi’s reported rift is blamed for the team’s prolonged slump and leadership instability.
The PCB has released seven players from the squad: Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq , Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal , Awais Zafar , and Khurram Shahzad .
When there was a falling-out between the two over the captaincy, Pakistan cricket was ruined that day,” Basit said on the ‘Game Plan’ show. The captaincy has turned into a game of musical chairs for the Pakistan Cricket Board. The likes of Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi , and Shan Masood have repeatedly passed the leadership reins from one teammate to another. “Babar Azam is not a strong captain. I am not speaking about this based on the performance in England. He has made many wrong decisions. The main reason for Pakistan cricket’s downfall is the rift between Shaheen and Babar. “Many statements were made, saying Shaheen is a very good bowler and Babar is a very good batter. The rift, whoever created that, the side effects can be seen now,” he added. Meanwhile, the PCB has made sweeping changes to the Pakistan squad ahead of the third and final Test against England, replacing nearly half of the group whilst parting ways with head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul .
