Shahid Afridi: “Just focus on playing well. Perform in a way that no one has to call you”

Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani

Legendary big-hitting all-rounder Shahid Afridi has told Pakistan batsman Babar Azam to “focus on playing well” so that “no one has to call you.”


His comments come after Azam insisted that he wasn’t under any pressure and that anyone who wants to give him advice has his number and can message him.

Afridi felt that there was no need for the 29-year-old to make that comment and urged him to get back in form so that he can help the men in green win matches again.

“Just focus on playing well. Perform in a way that no one has to call you,” he was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan.

Azam stepped down as captain in all three formats following the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, where he made 320 runs in nine matches, which included four half-centuries, at an average of 40.

Pakistan triumphed in their first two games against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before suffering defeats at the hands of India, Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa.

Despite bouncing back to beat Bangladesh and New Zealand, they could not book their spot in the semi-finals.

The men in green ended their campaign in disappointing fashion as England pummelled them by 93 runs.

Azam will now play for Pakistan in their upcoming three-match Test series against Australia, which starts on December 14 in Perth.

Pakistan Squad for Australia Test Series: Shan Masood (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi