Shahid Afridi’s Frustration Boils Over When Discussing T20 World Cup Collapse

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has denied rumours of groupism within the Pakistan camp following their early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup. Afridi dismissed reports of the dressing room being divided into three groups and instead pointed to poor performances and poor captaincy as the reasons for Pakistan’s disappointing campaign. In particular, Afridi criticized Babar Azam’s captaincy as a major factor.

During an appearance on Samaa TV, Afridi emphasized that there have never been any groups within the team in previous years and suggested that the recent talk of groupism is a sign of weak leadership. He also blamed social media and younger fans for spreading rumors about groupism, stating that they may not be well-educated about cricket.

Afridi highlighted Pakistan’s lackluster performances in the T20 World Cup, with losses to USA and India leading to their group stage exit. The team has faced criticism from former Pakistan cricketers like Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar, with Babar Azam’s batting and captaincy coming under scrutiny.

Pakistan’s final Group A game against Ireland presents a chance for them to salvage some pride before exiting the tournament. Afridi stressed the need for improved cricketing performances from both batsmen and bowlers to address the team’s shortcomings.