Shaheen Afridi, the Pakistan men’s team captain in the One Day Internationals (ODIs), heartfully requested fans and Pakistani journalists to stop the harsh criticism against senior players like Babar Azam, Mohammed Rizwan, and several others.
Following a 2-1 win against Australia in the recently concluded 3-match ODI series, Shaheen made his humble request to the Pakistani media during the post-match interview.
The young pace bowler tried to explain the importance of Babar and said no player can contribute to their best in every match they play.
‘Stop Targeting Senior Players’: Shaheen Afridi
As severe criticism against senior cricketers continued to become flooded on internet, Shaheen Afridi opened up and pleaded to the Pakistani media:
“See! My kind request to all of you is to please stop targeting senior players. Most often, you complain about them that they haven’t been performing well.
Even if they perform well, you people still criticize them. I request you all to please leave them alone. They are trying their level best to contribute to the team and are staying away from their homes and families. Their commitment towards the sport cannot be questioned,” the 26-year-old said.
‘Team Effort’: Shaheen Afridi About Pakistan’s 2-1 Series Win
Rather than granting credits to the individual, Shaheen Afridi credited the entire squad for a thrilling series win against Australia. He admitted that batting was challenging throughout the series, but the bowlers maintained their consistency across all three matches.
“Certainly! Because of the team effort throughout the series, the outcome was convincing. Batters had a difficult time. But we are happy with this win as we put in enormous efforts. Mainly, we took advantage of the playing conditions to a maximum extent,” Shaheen added.
Shaheen Afridi About Seniors and Their Importance in the Team
Furthermore, Shaheen Shah Afridi questioned what the juniors will learn without having any seniors in the squad.
Here is what the talented speedster explained by citing his own example during the early days of his cricketing career, as well as Babar’s performance in this series:
“Look! Babar Azam scored a crucial half-century on a challenging pitch at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The 23-year-old Ghazi Gori scored his maiden ODI fifty in Babar’s presence. This shows how seniors guide youngsters under pressure and motivate them to deliver game-changing performances.
How can the juniors develop their skills by removing seniors from the squad? As a debutant, I learned a lot just because the seniors were on the team.
Remember that the most talented player can perform at their best in 3 or 4 of 10 matches. No in-form player can contribute the best in all 10 out of 10 matches.
So, try to give a chance to everyone to prove their best rather than criticising them,” Afridi explained.
Babar Azam’s Notable Performances: ODI Series vs Australia
It’s worth mentioning that Babar Azam was one among those core contributors for Pakistan’s victory by 5 wickets and 4 wickets in the first and third ODI respectively.
In the opening ODI, Pakistan conveniently chased a 201-run target with a 5-wicket win and more than 7 overs to spare. Babar held his nerves under pressure and scored 69 runs off 94 balls (including 4 fours and 1 six). He stitched a crucial 127-run partnership with Ghazi Ghori (65 runs) that laid a solid foundation for a successful run chase.
Babar failed to make an impact in the second ODI match at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, having scored only 16 runs off 16 balls. The 41-run loss to the Aussies in this match was indeed a warning sign for all Pakistani players to make a strong comeback ahead of the series decider clash.
In the third and last ODI clash, Pakistan chased down a mere 158-run target and secured a 4-wicket win. Despite the tricky batting conditions in Lahore, Babar maintained his composure and scored a 40-run knock off 84 balls (including 3 fours).
Shaheen Afridi’s statement justifies how experienced seniors alter their playing style according to the game situation. This is exactly what Babar did in the series decider clash by adopting a cautious approach and steering his team to a memorable series win.
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Overall Opinion: Was Shaheen Afridi Right in Supporting Babar Azam?
Shaheen Afridi opened up on his thoughts at the right moment. His plea to the media helped spare Babar Azam and other senior players from getting brutally criticized.
Most often, the Pakistani media coverage follows a routine pattern, and senior players are judged very harshly. They receive short term praises only when they perform exceptionally well. But as soon as they make mistakes or struggle with their form, they receive severe backlash.
Likewise to Babar, other senior players haven’t yet drawn curtains to their illustrious cricket careers after a handful of disappointing outings. But, the expectations on Pakistani senior cricketers continue to mount such that they are expected not to fail even in a single match.
Conclusively, consistency can’t happen overnight. A team cannot prepare for its future by sacking the most experienced players from the squad based on their disappointing performance in only a few matches. The experienced players’ voices are essential to guide the team through the highs and lows of a game.
