Shaheen Afridi could be in big trouble, accused of misconduct and lobbying by Pakistani coaches: report

Pakistan cricket and controversy go hand in hand. The Men in Green suffered a shock first-round exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup last month, and since then there has been a lot of negative news coming out of the camp.

According to the latest report, star player Shaheen Afridi is being accused of misconduct by the current coaching staff of Gary Kirsten and Azhar Mahmood.

Head coach Kirsten had filed a report with the PCB after the T20 World Cup debacle, citing Shaheen’s string of bad behaviour, Samaa News reported.

According to the report, “Shaheen Afridi of the Ireland T20I series, England T20I series and 2024 T20 World Cup, has been accused of misconduct by Gary Kirsten and Azhar Mahmood. No action has been taken against the pacer and he has continued to misbehave and has also been accused of lobbying.”

The news is sure to anger Pakistani cricket fans as the left-hander is an important part of the team and may face consequences for his actions if the reports are true.

The PCB is yet to make an official announcement on the matter. On Wednesday (July 10), the board issued a statement confirming the termination of Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq from the national selection committee.

It is notable that Shaheen Afridi was appointed Pakistan’s T20I captain after Babar Azam stepped down following the 2023 World Cup debacle.

Under Shaheen, Pakistan suffered a 4-1 defeat on the T20I tour of New Zealand earlier this year and Babar was reinstated, but that did not lead to a turnaround in fortunes.