“I have breaking news for you: Shan Masood and Shaheen Shah Afridi had a fight in the dressing room, and when Mohammad Rizwan tried to intervene, he also got pushed around.”
When someone told me this at an event, I smiled and asked how he knew. He replied, “I saw a post on Twitter.”
Similarly, another person claimed, “Shaheen and Naseem Shah are deliberately bowling poorly to undermine Shan Masood.”
A third person went even further, saying, “Babar Azam is deliberately not scoring runs so the team will lose and he can be reappointed as captain.”
All these sources were from social media. Since the advent of Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, accessing news has become easier, but distinguishing between true and false information has become difficult. Previously, a blue tick on Twitter would confirm authenticity, but now that anyone can get one for three thousand rupees, its value has diminished.
The performance of the Pakistan team is undoubtedly subpar these days. Bangladesh has defeated them in a Test match for the first time in history, and now Pakistan faces the challenge of saving the series on home ground. However, this does not mean the players are fighting among themselves.
When the news of a fight between Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood spread, Shaheen was actually in Karachi playing with his newborn child. Shan’s nature is also not one to be constantly fighting with teammates. But since Shaheen was dropped, stories have emerged. I can say with full confidence that no such fight occurred. This raises the question of what the PCB’s media department is doing. Isn’t it their job to prevent negative perceptions about national stars in cricket fans’ minds?
The team management treated Shaheen unfairly. He was called to Rawalpindi from Karachi just to be informed that he was dropped from the second Test squad. Before this, his white-ball captaincy was taken away, a fake statement was issued, his action was criticized, and his Test vice-captaincy was also removed. Such treatment can mentally torment anyone. The main bowler of the team does not deserve this treatment. Despite this, you cannot show a single statement from Shaheen where he criticized any teammate or the board. Naseem Shah returned to red-ball cricket fit, played one match, and was then dropped again. This decision is also baffling.
However, saying that both deliberately bowled poorly to be dropped is absurd. This is not a local street game; it’s Pakistan’s national team. Who plays with their career? Shaheen has likely sworn off captaincy due to his treatment, and Naseem was never part of that race. As for Babar Azam, he is undoubtedly going through the worst phase of his career, having not scored a half-century in the last 7-8 matches, some of which he himself captained. So, how can it be said that they are performing poorly under Shan Masood’s leadership?
Babar is our most important batter. Even an out-of-form Babar will be better than many in-form players. His performance has been affected by team politics and captaincy issues. A player of this level should never be made captain; he should focus on his game without getting involved in issues. Unfortunately, Babar has had to face problems by getting involved in non-issues. One of his problems is being too withdrawn. No matter how big a cricketer you become, the learning process never ends. Seeking advice from seniors in tough times does not diminish your level. Babar should do that.
There is a social media campaign against him, led by Indians who do not want any Pakistani to be among the world’s best batters, leading to negative posts. Ramiz Raja advised Babar to stay away from social media for a while, which will help him mentally. People are currently discussing how we are struggling against Bangladesh, but what will we do against England, South Africa, etc., in future series?
It will be possible to comment on this only after the second Test ends, but this concern is not unfounded. Allowing 262 runs after dismissing 6 Bangladeshi batters for 26 is a crime. Abrar Ahmed’s mystery is now over, and his performance reflects Pakistan’s state in spin bowling. Several catches were also dropped. Former players like Younis Khan, who used to play cautiously even on fifties, would likely be performing well if given the chance. In Test cricket, if you set yourself, an innings of less than a century is insignificant.
Our three players have left after scoring fifties, and there are issues in bowling, batting, and fielding that need to be addressed quickly. Cricket is the only sport in Pakistan that still garners interest, but the team’s performance is driving people away. Despite free entry in the Rawalpindi Test, the stands were empty. Will the board now distribute biryani to attract spectators? This situation is alarming, and the only solution is good performance. Winning a few matches will reduce people’s frustration, and they will regain interest in cricket; otherwise, the future of this sport in the country is bleak.