Babar Azam hits out at 90s Pakistan cricketers: ‘You are just fighting among yourselves’
Pakistan cricket faces internal strife post-T20 World Cup exit. Player Shadab Khan's spat with former stars Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf over criticism highlighted a growing divide. Captain Babar Azam has now called for mutual respect, acknowledging players' right to defend themselves against personal attacks while urging support for the national team.
Salman Ali Agha’s Pakistan endured a disappointing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, failing to reach the semi-finals. But the struggles were not limited to performances on the field. Off it, tensions between current players and former cricketers came into sharp focus, with Shadab Khan at the centre of a major controversy.
Following Pakistan’s loss to India in Colombo, former stars Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf publicly called for Shadab to be dropped. The all-rounder responded strongly, questioning their credentials by pointing out that they had not been part of a Pakistan team that defeated India in a World Cup. The exchange quickly escalated, with both Afridi and Yousuf hitting back at Shadab’s remarks.
The episode highlighted a growing divide within Pakistan cricket, where criticism from former players often turns personal, drawing responses from those currently in the setup. Now, two months on, Babar Azam has weighed in, calling for balance and mutual respect. Speaking while leading Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League 2026, Babar backed Shadab’s right to respond.
“When they speak about things, it's right, but if the current player has said something, it's not right. Anyway, it's a different ball game. Shadab said something in the heat of the moment.