Shaheen "Afraid...": Journalist's Viral Rant, Talks About "Mental Problem"

Shaheen Afridi's Pakistan cricket team T20I captaincy did not start on the right note at all as the team lost to New Zealand on Friday

Jan 13, 2024 - 11:30
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Shaheen "Afraid...": Journalist's Viral Rant, Talks About "Mental Problem"

The start of Shaheen Afridi's Pakistan cricket team T20I captaincy did not start on the right note at all. On Friday, Pakistan slumped to a 46-run loss to New Zealand. Tim Southee became the first player to 150 wickets in Twenty20 internationals, leading New Zealand's "nasty fasties" to a 46-run win over Pakistan in their series opener in Auckland. Veteran seam bowler Southee claimed four wickets to pass the milestone and help dismiss the tourists for 180 in the 18th over in response to New Zealand's imposing 226-8, handing them first blood in the five-match series.

After the loss a video has gone viral, where a senior journalist blasted Pakistan team. 

 "This team has got no unity. You don't realise what happens after an over ends as ad starts on TV. I covered the match on ground. Shaheen Afridi is not taking anybody's advice. His bowlers are getting hit. But it was his first match. He sent Babar Azam to mid-on. But at least talk to Babar Azam, he has so much experience and is the ex-captain. Even Mohammad Rizwan was talking to the bowlers and fielders. Shaheen was looking afraid, tensed and lonely. This is not the Pakistan cricket team that I know. Don't know if there is a mental problem," Senior sports journalist Ejaz Bakhri said in a viral video.

"Since Zaka Ashraf became the PCB chief he has changed everyone."  

Southee's figures of 4-25 were the best of a run-dominated encounter at Eden Park and took him to 151 wickets in T20 internationals, 11 more than Bangladesh spinner Shakib Al Hasan.

He finished the job as Pakistan's run chase capitulated after Babar Azam fell in the 17th over, with the former captain having accelerated to 57 off 35 balls to keep his side in contention.

There were starts for openers Saim Ayub (27) and Mohammad Rizwan (25) but Azam struggled to find support from his teammates before being caught at cover by captain Kane Williamson off Ben Sears' bowling.

Williamson said Southee's value across a 16-year career couldn't be understated.

"Tim has been around for a long time and this is a credit to his consistent performances over a long period," he said.

"But he also adds so much as a leader in our environment - a calm head and it's pretty good to have him out there with some young nasty fasties."

New Zealand's boundary-laden innings was the highest Pakistan had conceded in a T20, surpassing the 221-3 England scored in Karachi in 2022.

Daryl Mitchell blasted 61 off 27 balls and Williamson was dropped twice as he scored 57 off 42.

New Zealand built on an explosive start from opener Finn Allen (34), who struck 24 runs off the third over, bowled by Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Pakistan's new-look attack struggled to protect the ground's notoriously short boundaries, conceding 21 fours and 11 sixes.

Seamer Abbas Afridi impressed in his first international appearance in any format with 3-34 off four overs, although fellow-debutant Usama Mir had his leg spin attacked by Mitchell in particular and finished with 0-51.

Shaheen, who took 3-46, led Pakistan for the first time after Babar forfeited the captaincy in the wake of their failure to make last year's 50-over Cricket World Cup semi-finals.

Shaheen said improvements will be necessary ahead of the second match in Hamilton on Sunday.

"We only have a short time. As a bowling unit, we have to improve and use our variations at the right times," he said.

"Kane Williamson and Mitchell played very well but there were mis-fields in the middle overs. We have to grab those catches and as a fielding unit we need to do better."

With AFP inputs

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