Islamabad, Sep 4: Following their team’s loss to Bangladesh in the first Test in Rawalpindi, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi and Pakistan’s skipper, Shan Masood, have been the subject of persistent reports that they got into a fierce argument.
Following Pakistan’s humiliating 10-wicket loss, rumors circulated that Masood and Afridi’s disagreements had resulted in an altercation in the dressing room.
According to reports, the altercation was caused by Masood and head coach Jason Gillespie’s criticism of the fast bowlers’ performances, especially Afridi.
Afridi appeared to be taking Masood’s hand off his shoulder in a widely shared video footage, which fueled rumors of animosity between the two players even more.
Shan Masood addressed the media and refuted the accusations, emphasizing that he had no altercation with Afridi. He clarified that the event was just a simple misunderstanding, and that Afridi was experiencing shoulder strain.
“Shaheen Afridi and I did not engage in combat. Unfortunately, I put my hand on the same shoulder where he was experiencing agony,” Masood said.
Bangladesh has won their first-ever Test series against Pakistan, and the loss has been a major blow for them. Bangladesh won the series 2-0, chasing down 185 runs in the second Test with four wickets remaining after winning by 10 wickets in the first Test.
Pakistan’s prospects of winning the World Test Championship have been badly damaged by this defeat; they are now in ninth place, while Bangladesh has risen to fourth.
