'We don't need to justify ourselves to anyone else' - Shaheen Afridi on rumored dressing-room altercation with Babar Azam

During the Asia Cup 2023, reports had emerged of a heated exchange between former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi. Following Pakistan's narrow defeat to Sri Lanka, tensions had escalated during a post-match team meeting. Allegedly, Babar had voiced discontent with senior players' performances, while Shaheen advocated for acknowledging the efforts of those who performed well. 

Mohammad Rizwan's mediated the reported altercation between Babar and Afridi during Asia Cup 2023. Ahead of the PSL 9 match, Shaheen, speaking on the podcast, shed light on the issue and talked about team dynamics and emphasised commitment to Pakistan. Babar, when approached earlier, had stressed respect within the team despite match outcomes.

"We don't need to justify ourselves to anyone else. We know that when we are in a meeting, we speak for the team. Pakistan is in front of us. We both know we have to perform and raise Pakistan's name. So, what we have to give for our country, we will give it ourselves, we won't let anyone else come in for that. Why do we play cricket? We play for Pakistan. So, just like things come into consideration within the family, the Pakistan team is also our family. We are the ones who have to set things right for it," Shaheen said as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.

"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," Babar had said.

PCB furious over Babar, Shaheen’s off-field fan interaction

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had reportedly expressed discontent over the former skipper and current national T20I captain's involvement in fan interactions on social media platform 'X'. Babar's Q&A sessions amassed over 20,000 fans, while Shaheen's attracted approximately 4000. The PCB viewed these engagements with concern, highlighting their cautious approach towards players' social media interactions amidst their professional commitments and responsibilities.