Asia Cup 2023: Rally Behind The Team, Don’t Spread Negativity – Former PCB Chairman Najam Sethi Responds To Rumours Of A Pakistan Dressing Room Fight

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi lashes out at the rumours surrounding the Pakistan Cricket team after their elimination from the Asia Cup 2023 in Sri Lanka. After the Men in Green’s painful exit from the Continental event, there were indications that the mood in the dressing room was not the best.

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is now receiving criticism for his captaincy choices made during the match and throughout the competition, but it appears that another controversy is developing among the Pakistan cricket team. According to the reports in Pakistan Cricket, there is a rift in the dressing room, where the Pakistan Captain is encountering some resistance from other players.

In response to reports that Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi had a falling out after Pakistan’s loss to Sri Lanka eliminated them from contention for the Asia Cup final, According to reports, Babar was dissatisfied with the senior players’ performances and Shaheen asked him to commend those who had done well. As a result, Mohammad Rizwan was compelled to step in.

Taking his X handle, in response to the rumours, Najam Sethi stated that neither the team’s management nor players like Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Rizwan, and Shaheen should be held accountable for the defeat to Sri Lanka.

Plenty of angry talk on social media about PAK Team – groupings etc – blaming cricketers and team management staff. But
Babar, Shadab, Shaheen, Fakhar, Rizwan, Naseem, et al are champion cricketers. They have a very able team management to support them.
Come On, Pakistanis!…

— Najam Sethi (@najamsethi) September 16, 2023

“Plenty of angry talk on social media about PAK Team – groupings etc. – blaming cricketers and team management staff. But Babar, Shadab, Shaheen, Fakhar, Rizwan, Naseem, et al are champion cricketers. They have a very able team management to support them. Come On, Pakistanis! Rally behind the team, don’t spread negativity! GO TEAM PAKISTAN!” 

Babar Azam was visibly upset with the boundary on the penultimate delivery. He approached his young pacer and began a lengthy conversation about the final ball of the game. The entire venue erupted in joy with the home team winning the contest.

Pakistan’s skipper found it hard to believe that they lost the game against Sri Lanka, as he flung his arms in anger as if to say that either the fielder should have been more precise or the bowler should have bowled the ball wide on their final game of Super 4 stage of Asia Cup 2023.

Pakistan World Cup hopes have been dealt a huge blow with Naseem Shah likely to be ruled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury. The youngster has played 14 ODI games for the Men in Green picking up 32 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.69 and could be a crucial miss for the team in the ODI World Cup in India.