Asia Cup 2023: Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi Get Into Heated Dressing Room Argument; Rizwan Intervenes
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Pakistan’s Asia Cup 2023 campaign came to an end with two-wicket loss against Sri Lanka. Reportedly, Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi got into a heated argument inside the dressing room after that
New Delhi: The Pakistan cricket team suffered a two-wicket loss against defending champions, Sri Lanka R. Premadasa Stadium in the Super 4 stage that ended their Asia Cup 2o23 campaign. Now as per some reports, PAK captain Babar Azam and their ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi got into a heated argument during a dressing room meeting between the team, and that even forced Mohammad Rizwan to intervene.
As per a report from Pakistan media, Babar was furious over Men in Green’s performance in the must-win game and he said that the players have not been performing responsibly. Shaheen didn’t like this remark and told Babar to at least appreciate the players, who performed well. The Pakistan skipper was clearly unimpressed with the remark and said that he’s aware of who is performing and who is not. The argument was quite heated and it even forced wicket-keeper batter Rizwan to come between and end it.
“Disappointed with how it finished but this is not the end. We never gave up and fought all the way, and this fighting spirit should not go down. There is a bigger challenge coming our way and we will be better prepared for it In shaa’Allah. Pakistan Zindabad,” Shaeen Afridi tweeted after Asia Cup 2023 exit.
Disappointed with how it finished but this is not the end.
We never gave up and fought all the way, and this fighting spirit should not go down.
There is a bigger challenge coming our way and we will be better prepared for it In shaa’Allah.
Pakistan Zindabad 🇵🇰💚
— Shaheen Shah Afridi (@iShaheenAfridi) September 15, 2023
Charith Asalanka struck a brilliant unbeaten 49 after Kusal Mendis (91) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (48) laid the foundation with a century stand and guided defending champions ri Lanka to a two-wicket victory against Pakistan in a thrilling final Super 4 match and into the final of the Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka made it to the final for the 11th time in the Asia Cup and will meet India in the final. This is their second final in a row.
Chasing a DLS readjusted target of 252 in a rain-truncated 42-overs-a-side match that ended well past midnight, Sri Lanka rode on a superb performance by their middle order after Pakistan had recovered from 130/5 to post 252 thanks to a memorable rearguard partnership between Mohammad Rizwan (86 not out) and Iftikhar Ahmed (47).
But Sri Lanka survived some anxious moments in the last two overs to scrap through to the final. And it was Kusal Mendis that held the Sri Lanka innings together that set them up for victory.
