Pakistan cricket stalwarts Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi embraced one another during the ongoing Champions Cup one-day match between the Stallions and Nurpur Lions in Faisalabad. In a video that surfaced on social media, the duo shared a wholesome moment as Babar was standing at the non-striker's end.
Babar and Shaheen have reportedly had issues since the former replaced the left-arm speedster as captain ahead of T20 World Cup 2024. With Babar being reinstated as captain after Shaheen captained only in one series, various media outlets have pointed out a rift between them.
However, the hug between the two during the one-day Champions Cup seemed to have dispelled that notion:
Babar also got a loud cheer from the Faisalabad crowd when he walked out to bat when Aamer Jamal plucked Yasir Khan.
Babar Azam likely to be removed as white-ball captain: Report
With Babar overseeing Pakistan's disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign as they failed to make it beyond the group stage, his captaincy is in jeopardy. The right-handed batter had notably stepped down after the 2023 World Cup, but the PCB brought him back ahead of this year's showpiece event.
With Pakistan scheduled for a limited-overs tour in Australia in November, reports indicate that Mohammad Rizwan is likely to be appointed captain for the same. Pakistan's three-Test series against England begins on October 7 in Multan.
Shan Masood's stint as Test captain is also under threat after losing his first five matches in the format.
