Pakistan’s former captain Shahid Afridi has denied rumors of groupism within the team following their early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup. During an appearance on Samaa TV, Afridi emphasized that there have never been any groups within the team in previous years and suggested that the recent talk of groupism is a sign of weak leadership.
According to Afridi, poor performances and poor captaincy were the reasons for Pakistan’s disappointing campaign. In particular, he criticized Babar Azam’s captaincy as a major factor. He highlighted Pakistan’s lackluster performances in the T20 World Cup, with losses to USA and India leading to their group stage exit. The team has faced criticism from former Pakistan cricketers like Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar, with Babar Azam’s batting and captaincy coming under scrutiny.
Afridi pointed out that social media and younger fans may not be well-educated about cricket and could be spreading rumors about groupism. However, he stressed the need for improved cricketing performances from both batsmen and bowlers to address the team’s shortcomings. Despite their disappointing campaign, Pakistan has a chance to salvage some pride before exiting the tournament when they play Ireland in their final Group A game.
