Pakistan Captain Shan Masood Dismisses Rift Rumors with Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan cricket captain Shan Masood has vehemently denied rumors of a rift between him and star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi. The speculations arose after Afridi was omitted from the playing XI for the second Test against Bangladesh.
The rumors intensified when a video clip from the first Test emerged, showing Afridi seemingly brushing off Masood’s hand from his shoulder. However, Masood has clarified that there was no disagreement between the two.
“There are no issues between us,” Masood said. “Shaheen had his arms around my back, but he politely removed my hand from his shoulder because it was sore after being hit by a ball during our innings.”
Masood also refuted claims that Afridi was dropped for the second Test due to the incident. “We had a good discussion with Shaheen,” Masood explained. “We told him he remains our best bowler and needs to work on finding his best rhythm and form.”
The Pakistan captain also dismissed suggestions that he was concerned about his future as Test captain. “I don’t think about these things,” Masood said. “Being made captain is a privilege, and until I am captain, my only focus is to take the team forward.”
Masood acknowledged the team’s disappointing performance in the Bangladesh series, which they lost 2-0. “Losing to Bangladesh is totally unacceptable for us,” he said. “We need to improve our performance and work hard to regain our winning ways.”
